Touhou: Card Captor
by maglag
Summary: Why was the magic sealed in the first place? Why did it became forgotten to most of the world? When the border to the fantasy land weakens, new and harsher challenges shall appear to test Sakura and Syaoran, along with many new magic cards to beat. Sakura x Syaoran, Meiling, Tomoyo, Reimu, many other Touhou characters. First Fanfic here, enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

(Author's note: This story happens some time after the CCS 2nd movie and Touhou 12)

* * *

The traditional room had four women elegantly sitting in a circle. They all had calm smiles on their faces and seemed relaxed, yet one could feel an aura of dangerous power hovering in the room. They had no wrinkles in their face, but their eyes revealed that each of them already had seen and done more things than thousands of mortal lives combined.

Suddenly, a black portal opened above them, and out came a fifth woman. Dark golden eyes, long blond hair, carrying an open pink parasol over her head. She wore a pink and purple dress with red strings, and a pink mob cap with a thin red ribbon tied in the front.

_I thank you for answering my summon, my dear ladies, I apologize for my delay but there were some last-minute details I had to take care of..._

_Stop with your fancy speeches and spit out what you want already, Yukari Yakumo. You should not try to trick a greater goddess._-interrupted one of the sitting women. She had an elaborate red shirt with long white sleeves and a round mirror over the center of her chest. She wore a long black skirt with a red flower printed. Her hair was a poofy intense blue hair, and her eyes a dark red . Behind her was a large twisting rope circle with hanging white strips.

_Very well, Kanako Yasaka, I'll go straight to the point why I called this reunion. Most of Clow's legacy left on this world has been unsealed over the last couple of years. In Japan no less. The human world is filling with magic again, enough to sustain our existence out there. It is finally time for us to abandon this protective border and take our rightful place._

_Clow? Clow Reed? The same Clow that sealed me? I believed there were no humans left out there that could acomplish such a thing._-said another of the women. She had long, wavy, light brown hair with a purple gradient at the top, with light brown eyes. She wore a black and white dress with long strips of black ribbon going across the middle and white ribbon across the arms. Along with this dress, she wore a long purple cape.

_Yes, that very Clow, Byakuren Hiziri_-answered Yukari-_ It seems like he refused to attain immortality, and on his last years of life used his powers of foresight to prepare a master plan where one of his descendants, with latent magic powers, would unseal his cards, and then capture them and convert them to a new form over a series of trials._

_And who is to say that said descendant of Clow will not go after us if we try to leave the border? After all, if they not only managed to control but also convert the very Clow Cards to a new form, that sounds like an opponent that should not be messed with lightly._-Said one of the women who still hadn't spoken, with maroon eyes, short wavy pink hair, surrounded by several small formless ghosts, one carrying a cherry blossom twig. She wore a light blue and white kimono with dark blue trim, and a blue mob cap on the front of which is a hitaikakushi with a red ghost insignia.

_Because she's but a naive little human girl that has yet to experiment true terror. Her "trials" were mostly rigged. She needed the help of several third parties to convert and capture the Clow cards at basically every step, and that's while most of her opponents were holding back. It's nothing short of a miracle that Clow's plan worked at all with so many variables, but now that she will be facing us, her good luck will run out._ -explained Yukari with a devious smile on her face.

_Uh, I hate to burst your bubble, but haven't all of you been beaten by two certain naive human little girls yourselves?_-said the last of the sitting women in an annoyed voice. She had green eyes, long green hair, wore a red plaid skirt, and a waistcoat of the same color and pattern over a plain white shirt. A closed white umbrella rested on the floor behind her.

_True, Yuuka Kazami, but those were girls from our world, used with dealing with youkai since they're able to walk, forced to survive and grow mostly on their own._

_Besides, I've already put the events in motion to have one of them fight the new card mistress. If our young butterfly wins, I can manipulate her so she won't mess with us anymore._

_If the card mistress wins, then we'll have obtained valuable data about her power. And best case scenario, they wipe each other out, and the witch alone will have no chance against our powers combined._

_Just think about it..._

_Kanako, once youkai walk the open world once more, people will turn to faith for guidance again, and you'll be the one waiting to answer their prayers._

_Byakuren, you'll be able to conduct the magical renaissance you've always dreamed off, to make all youkai receive their due respect from humans._

_Yuyuko, the world's cuisine out there has advanced beyond your wildest dreams. Also, there'll be plenty of open space for your ghosts._

_And Yuuka, you'll be able to destroy the ravaging of nature that the foolish humans are conducting. Every year several exotic plants go extinct forever. Only you can save them..._

None of the other woman answered to the inspired speech, but Yukari knew from looking at their eyes that they were all thinking seriously about her proposal.

But there's no need to hurry. We've all waited many centuries. We can wait a bit longer. Here, allow me to treat you to some high quality wine to help you decide...-added Yukari in a sweetened voice.

Small portals opened in mid of the room's air, and from there came out first glasses that fell on the floor, then open bottles hanging down so that they filled the glasses with dark liquids, before being swallowed back by the portals.

Each woman picked the glass in front of her and poured it down. Again bottles came out of portals hanging in mid-air to refill the glasses, and once again the women drinked their contents. Soon enough they were all laughing loudly and talking about Yukari's plan with each other.

Bets were placed in the possile outcome of the battle between the human butterfly and the mysterious card mistress. And each of the youkai women bore a truly terrifying smile on her face while doing all of this.

* * *

Sakura Kinomoto suddenly sneezed. Strange. Summer vacation had just started, the air was warm, she couldn't had possibly caught a cold.

She and her beloved boyfriend, Syaoran Li, were hanging in her best friend, Tomoyo Daidouji's house. Her mansion to be more precise.

They had been doing that a lot over the last months, since Tomoyo kept inviting them to tea parties, video sessions, and so she could take measurements of boh so the blue-haired girl could take measurements of Sakura and Syaoran to make them new matching costumes.

And then planning choreographies using their magics so Tomoyo could record them in action while wearing said matching costumes. Without any more magical crisis, it was a good way to blow off steam and to get her Sakura cards to have some fun as well.

Syaoran had been somewhat reluctant about that last bit, always somewhat shy, but Sakura had convinced him to try performing for her best friend's camera.

Sakura had been reluctant at first when Tomoyo started recording her all the time some years ago, but the red-haired girl had not only grown used to it, but also started enjoying the attention. It was somewhat like cheerleading. Sakura acted cute, people around her got happy, and that made Sakura happy as well.

In particular if the one being happy was her precious Syaoran. Sakura couldn't stop noticing her boyfriend's eyes constantly darting towards her every time they performed, her form clad in Tomoyo's exotic designs. Sakura wondered briefly if Syaoran already acted like that back when they were facing their challenges. And Sakura herself had found herself enjoying getting to watch Syaoran in new customes, sometimes her gaze directly meeting those serious brown eyes as they danced, jumped and flew according to Tomoyo's latest script...

_Emergency news!_-suddenly came out from the TV on the room, that had been turned on while Tomoyo took Syaoran and Sakura's new measurements- _An unidentified teenager between 12 and 15 years old, dressed in a shrine maiden outfit, has assaulted several of Tomoeda's general stores, demanding to be given "delayed donations for her shrine", and stealing dozens of alcoholic beverages and cakes!_

_The suspect's armed with multiple long needles, that she used to injure several people who tried to stop her, and managed so far to escape the location of the crimes before the police could arrive. She's armed, dangerous and most probably drunk, so the population are advised to take care when going outside, and if they spot someone young clad in shrine maiden clothing, to call..._

_Sakura-chan! Doesn't this sound suspicious? Doesn't this sounds like something you and Syaoran-kun should investigate? I can get your new costumes ready by tonight!_-Tomoyo's eyes were basically sparkling as she stared at Sakura, who couldn't help but sweatdrop.

_But Tomoyo-chan, don't tell me that there's even yet more Clow Cards out there..._

Meanwhile Syaoran's face had suddenly become quite pale, and although his expression remained serious, Sakura could detect an hint of worry on his eyes.

_Syaoran, you feel anything is wrong?_-asked Sakura, suddenly worried as well.

_Yes... No... Just remembering something I once read back in China, but it was just some old legend, not possibly true... But we need to investigate this, Sakura. A girl with a shrine maiden outfit and using needles as weapons and evading the police definitely isn't an ordinary accident. Remember, there's many other magic-using beings hidden around the world besides you and my family._

_But, aren't shrine maidens supposed to use their powers to help people, Syaoran-kun?_

_Yes, but long ago, when magic monsters were common in the world, shrine maidens were also tasked with exorcising and exterminating evil entities. Some grew addicted to this, becoming quite violent individuals. There was even a certain shrine maiden family that was so good at it that they constantly traveled in search of areas infected with monsters just for the chance to fight them, while forcing any locals they found to give them supplies as "donations". Some specialized in needle fighting. But they were supposed to have vanished from the face of the planet centuries ago when they went into a particularly dangerous area and were never heard of again... So this is probably some shrine maiden initiate copycat that somehow also heard of that old legend. We should still check it out. Even if she has just basic magic, she can be very dangerous to the common people._

_I agree, Syaoran-kun, we can't let anybody else get hurt if we can do something about it!_-replied Sakura, filled with motivation.

_Then it's decided! Now hold still so I can finish taking your measurements! I have a lot of sewing to do this afternoon!_-finished Tomoyo with a faint smile. She herself was feeling a bit worried inside now. But she knew her beloved Sakura had to go, and all she could do to support her was to make her those customes...

* * *

_You'll be fine up here alone, Tomoyo-chan?_-asked Sakura, holding her star staff close to her chest. She was dressed in an extremely cute dark blue pants, shirt and long gloves covering her whole arms. It covered her whole body but her head, alongside a matching beret and frilly skirt. Two long white ribbons hanged out from her hat down her back.

_Yes, Sakura-chan, I have brought my camera's long-range lens! I'll be able to capture all of your movements along Syaoran-kun!_

_And I'll be here to protect Tomoyo-chan in case something happens!_-proudly stated Meiling rising her head, crossing her arms, wearing her martial arts clothing. She was living in Syaoran's house "to make sure he wouldn't make Sakura cry", and her cousin had phoned her to warn her about the situation. Meiling then made pretty clear she would be tagging along.

Syaoran meanwhile was silently focusing on his Rashinban board. He was dressed with a dark green, almost black suit with short and thick gloves protecting his hands, along an equally colored beret with a design quite similar to Sakura's own, except without ribbons.

They were all standing atop the tallest building on the area where the mysterious girl had been reported being. Yue and Keroberos had come as well, having already changed into their true forms.

_I can sense it... A source of unknown magic. It's that way!_-pointed Syaoran, dismissing the Rashinban board.

_Allright, Yue and Kero fly above, me and Syaoran-kun will jump through the buildings_-ordered Sakura, pulling one of her cards.

* * *

A girl clad in shrine maiden clothes was walking on a not very far roof while emptying a wine bottle with one hand, holding a white gohei with the other. When she finished the bottle's contents, she threw it on the floor, shattering it.

_Man, this sucks! The air smells funny, so many tall buildings, so much noise, and way too many rude humans. No proper respect. Leaves me in quite the foul mood._

_But Yukari said that a very powerful human magician had escaped the border, and it was imperative for me to find them before they could wreck any havoc. But this city alone is so big, how am I supposed to even start looking for them?_

_And look, now I'm talking to myself again! It was about time some mid-boss appeared to give me some clues about where to go next, but instead I haven't even found a single fairy... But I must say the night lights they have around here are quite pretty... I should have saved up some of that booze for some night watching._

Then the young shrine maiden looked at the sky filled with stars above, wondering where to go next, when she suddenly spotted something flying towards her. On one side, some kind of winged oversized cat. Next to it, a winged deva. Seemed somewhat feminine, but also seemed to have some masculine traits. Hard to tell. But definitely not human either of them.

_Finally, some youkai to exterminate!_-grinned the shrine maiden while reaching inside her left sleeve with her right hand.

* * *

_Sakura, watch out, she has summoned a magic circle!_-shouted Syaoran, skillfully leaping across another building, closing in to their target.

_She pulled something! Is that... A clow card?_-asked Sakura, elegantly jumping alongside her boyfriend, her legs boosted by her own magic card.

* * *

Reimu held up her spellcard and chanted:

**_[Spirit Sign]:Fantasy Seal-Concentrate!_**

The spellcard turned into eight glowing multicolored orbs materialized around the shrine maiden, starting to spin around her for a second, before suddenly launching through the air at extreme speed and homing into Keroberos and Yue.

Sakura's two mystic guardians were caught completely by surprise and the glowing orbs hit their marks, violently exploding over them, rendering them unconscious before they could even scream from the pain.

* * *

_**WINDY! RELEASE!**_-Sakura activated her card to catch Keroberos in mid-air as he was falling to the ground, depositing him behind her

**_Obey the command! Petals of wind, Come Forth!_**-Syaoran swiftly pulled one of his jufus, slips of enchanted paper to place on his sword, and stopped Yue's fall from heaven as well, transporting him near the unconscious Keroberos.

_Oh, two human magicians at once? Guess luck is finally starting to favor me tonight!_-smiled the shrine maiden, opening her arms.

_Who are you, what do you want?_-asked Sakura in a decided voice, holding her staff forward in preparation, while Syaoran stood by her side with his sword in a combat stance, prefering to silently observe their new opponent.

Now that they were close, Sakura and Syaoran could see that this mysterious girl had dark red eyes, black hair longer than Sakura's own, reaching just below her shoulders, and wore a large red ribbon in her hair. She carried a gohei in her right hand, with many paper seals attached in streamers. Wearing a red and white dress remotely similar to a shrine maiden's outfit with detached sleeves leaving her shoulders uncovered, plus a red neckerchief. The shrine maiden was also a bit taller than either of them, looking just a few years older.

_Don't play dumb with me, little girl. I've come to take you back across the border you escaped from. You don't belong to this world. Now I'll give you one chance for you to drop your wand quietly, or I'll have to beat you up._

_What are you talking about? I lived here in Tomoeda my whole life! And if you want me, why did you attack Kero and Yue?_

_You mean the flying lion and deva? They were youkai, that alone is reason enough for me to exterminate them on sight. Now let me guess, they were your slave familiars, and that kid with the sword is your personal servant and bodyguard? You were the only one using actual spellcards so far after all._

_Syaoran is my boyfriend! And I am Sakura, his girlfriend and the Mistress of the Sakura cards!_

The shrine Maiden's face changed to one of surprise, looking at Syaoran for a moment, then back at Sakura:

_You can call your spellcards whatever you want, but boyfriend? A boy? Using magic of that level? HOHAHAHAHAHOHAHAHAHAHA that's a good one!_-the shrine maiden fell on the ground laughing her ass off.

Sakura sweatdroped. Syaoran however saw a possible opening.

**_KAAAA!_**-He lunged forward, screaming, with his sword in his right hand and a readied jufu talisman on his left hand.

The Shrine Maiden reacted with lighting reflexes, jumping from her fallen position into her feet. Swatting aside Syaoran's sword with her gohei, she revealed a long red needle on her other hand with which she thrusted directly toward Syaoran's face.

The boy managed to step back just at the last moment, the needle just grazing the the left side of his face. Pulling back next to Sakura, holding his sword with both hands in a defensive position, she could see Syaoran now had a long, bloody gash across his face. A couple milimiters to the side and his left eye would've been gouged out.

_Syaoran, you're allright?_-asked Sakura, turning to the wounded boy as her expression changed to deep worry.

_It's just a minor wound, I was overconfident, but keep your eyes on that girl! She's definitely dangerous!_-replied Syaoran.

_Oh, good dodge there! You may actually make nice sub-boss material!_-said the shrine maiden with a smug smile on her face.

_That combat style, I recognize it from the old scriptures...You're a descendant of the Hakurei Demonic Shrine Maiden lineage, are you not?-_asked Syaoran suddenly.

_Yes, that's me, altough most people don't add the "Demonic" bit. I prefer to be called Reimu Hakurei, Wonderful Shrine Maiden of Paradise! But anyway that doesn't really matter here and now. You Sakura, come with me now back to the border, or I beat the crap out of you like I did with your two youkai friends._-threatened the shrine Maiden, holding forward her gohei on the other.

_Reimu, I don't know what border you're talking about, but this city is my home. What can I do to make you believe me?_-asked the red-haired girl.

_It's quite simple, Sakura. You'll just have to defeat me in a duel_-challenged Reimu, rising her gohei towards Sakura, her expression changing to a serious one.

_I accept!_-was Sakura's reply, equally serious.

_What?_-asked Syaoran surprised.

Come, Sakura, let us fly up there, so we don't need to worry about small fry-said Reimu in a dull voice, raising her arms in a cross position and starting to float upwards.

**_FLY! RELEASE!_**-White wings sprouted from Sakura's back, and she started flying upwards.

_Sakura, there's no need to accept her challenge for a one on one battle. We should fight her together!_-warned Syaoran.

_I don't want you to get hurt because of me anymore, Syaoran. Don't worry, everything will be alright!_-said Sakura pausing in mid-air for a moment, smiling warmly at Syaoran below, before restarting following Reimu.

_SAKURAAAAA!_-screamed Syaoran as he saw his beloved become smaller and smaller as she rose to the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

_Ok, this should be high enough. We won't need to worry about the commoners below us. But say, I was kinda expecting you to ride your staff to get up here... But, nevermind that, that other one also summoned wings once in a while, that's the kind of thing magicians do I guess. You ready?_

Tomoeda's buildings looked quite tiny below them now due to how high they were flying. The night air was cold and dry.

_I'm ready!_-replied Sakura in a decided tone, staff in right hand, her left ready to retrieve any needed cards.

_Ohoh, that's some fighting spirit I see in your eyes? You're definitely one of us. Very well, let us start!_

Reimu raised her arms, and from her outstretched sleeves suddenly poured dozens-hundreds of paper ofudas and sharp needles, aimed not only at Sakura but also at the area around her!

Sakura's wings flaped and made her rise over the incoming projectiles, as she threw another of her spellcards into the air and thrust her wand into it:

_**WINDY! RELEASE!** Immobilize that shrine maiden!_

The Sakura card turned into her emerald lady form, swiftly flying towards Reimu, extending air tendrils around the flying girl in a cage formation to trap her. But just as Windy was about to fully envelop Reimu, she vanished in a flash of light. Sakura frantically looked around trying to find her opponent, when suddenly a new barrage of amulets and needles grazed the card mistress over her shoulder!

_You're a lucky one, aren't you? If you hadn't moved then, I would've got a clean hit right away!_-Reimu somehow had moved right behind and above Sakura's back! The card mistress turned around and gazed at the shrine maiden in the eyes.

_...You're sad inside, aren't you?_-asked Sakura, flying upwards so she was at the same height than Reimu.

_...What did you just say to me, bitch?-_replied the Shrine Maiden, launching a new flurry of square amulets from inside her outstretched sleeves

_Your magic... Feels cold. Like you're used to always fighting alone. Even against those close to you. You will fight just for the sake of fighting._-Sakura once again flew away from the trajectory, but this time the amulets turned their flight path and started to home in behind her.

_What's all this sentimental bullshit you're spouting up now?_-a pulsing vein appeared up in Reimu's forehead.

_I can feel it in the way you use your magic. The card you used... It had the same exact aura as you. Cold and lonely. It's not a Clow Card._-Sakura recalled Windy and used it to disperse the incoming homing amulets far away.

_You damn right it isn't! It is a spellcard I created myself! One of my very first!_-yet the name "Clow" suddenly seemed to ring a little bell on Reimu's head. She quickly silenced it, focusing again in the battle.

The Shrine Maiden pulled another spellcard from inside her sleeve and holded it high, her magic circle materializing at her back:

_Ah, what the hell, have another! **Wild Exorcism Dance!**_

The spellcard turned into red energy that covered Reimu's body, and she started a series of elegant moves in mid-air, spinning and turning over herself. With each move of the Shrine Maiden, thousands of paper ofudas and scarlet needles materialized and were launched in a thick barrage, too fast to dodge!

Windy moved to once more protect her mistress, but this time the projectiles were too much for her to stop, and each bore exorcising energy that severly injured the manifested magic card even with the lightest touch. Sakura felt the pain on her servant, and pulled another of her cards

_Windy, return! __**SHIELD! RELEASE!**_A globe of force formed around Sakura, deflecting all of Reimu's incoming projectiles. The shrine maiden intensified her assault, but Shield didn't budge as Sakura's soul and heart focused on the card. She didn't exactly understood who this Reimu was, but she wanted to take her away from Sakura's loved ones. Away from Syaoran. She would not wield.

Such was her determination that Shield was no longer just stopping the shrine maiden's attacks, it was actively pushing them back, allowing Sakura to start flying closer to her opponent.

The Card Mistress noticed that Reimu didn't try to keep a distance, seemingly too focused on her dance to move away from her position in mid-air.

Flying faster, Sakura positioned herself behind Reimu, who tried to turn around her barrage of attacks, but the dance pattern didn't allow her to keep up with Sakura's fast movements. The card mistress dismissed her shield and raised her star wand over the shrine maiden:

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Hakurei card!**_

As Sakura's star wand came down, the red aura around Reimu left her body and coalesced in its spellcard form at the tip of her opponent's staff.

_Wait, whad did you just do...?_-Reimu was caught completely by surpise by this development, but Sakura wasn't finished yet, keeping her wand pointed at the captured card.

_**Card created by Hakurei Reimu, abandon your old form and reincarnate under the name of your new master, Sakura!**_

Reimu's spellcard started to spin wildly and glowing, and suddenly transformed, gaining a slightly different appearance, now a series of pink shades with a girly red heart at the corner on the front, a star pattern at the back.

While Reimu had a look of shock on her face, Sakura picked up her new conversion and smiled at her opponent:

_I would much rather we be friends, Reimu. But if you keep using your cards for bad purposes, I believe they'll be better off..._

Sakura was interrupted by a sharp pain on her stomach, that made her lose her breath. As her head bowed down from reflex, she could see that Reimu had just driven her closed fist right into her belly. So fast Sakura hadn't seen it coming. It hurted. A lot.

_You've got to be shitting me, bitch!_-said Reimu in a cold voice clearly filled with anger, before rising her left leg in one elegant move and kicking Sakura's face, sending her flying backwards.

_Capturing somebody else's spellcards, that's one thing, but..._-Reimu teleported behind Sakura and kicked her in the stomach again, making sure she couldn't produce any chant or concentrate. Powerful magician or not, she was still an human, and had made the fatal mistake of willingly getting too close to the Shrine Maiden, that had defeated several mighty Youkai before ever getting her first spellcard.

_But stopping a fight to convert them into such a girly form while spouting sentimental friendship nonsense..._-Reimu remained close and rained a series of fast punches and kicks on Sakura, making sure she couldn't use any more of her magic. Even if she happened to have the power to call her cards whitout a chant, she would never accomplish any magic while Reimu was showering her with painful blows.

_THAT SERIOUSLY PISSES ME OFF!_-Reimu drew three new needles from her sleeves, holding them in a single hand between her fingers, and jabbed them towards Sakura's throat. No killing intent, just aiming at her vulnerable nonvital spots to paralyze her nerves and finish the fight right there while teaching her a painful lesson.

Syaoran couldn't wait anymore. Altough he couldn't see the two fighting girls above due to the distance, he could feel their magic presences, and knew that Sakura was about to lose. Holding upwards the side his sword, he placed a jufu paper on it and chanted:

_**Obey the command! God of thunder, Come Forth!**_

As Reimu was about to land the finishing blow on Sakura, the shrine maiden's instincts warned her of danger and she teleported back. In the next moment a lighting beam struck down from above in the position she had been a split second ago, just grazing Sakura.

Almost instantly another lighting bolt came from above, but this one bifurcating again and again, forming a descending electric web above Reimu. She couldn't teleport again so soon, no time for spellcards, so she found herself following her instincts and fly downwards as fast as she could, barely able to dodge the incoming attacks.

Soon she found herself approaching the ceilings of the buildings below again, but the lighting net was catching up with her. She knew she wouldn't make it on time... But then the attack suddenly stopped and the lighting vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.

Still Reimu was coming down too fast to be able to stop, so all she could do was flip over herself so her feet were pointing down and rolling with the impact. She had plenty of experience with free falling from the times when she first learned to fly by herself.

Once again in a firm surface, Reimu looked around to see what had happened with her opponent. Last time she had had seen Sakura, her wings were dissipating and she was falling.

Then Reimu saw Syaoran floating down from above, carried by a green mystic wind, sword sheated at his back, holding the semi-uncoscious Sakura on his hands. Below him were several spent jufu papers.

_I must say that was pretty idiotic from you, magician boy_-smirked Reimu-_You dared to interrupt our duel, but then didn't put me down when you had the chance. Give me a reason why I shouldn't teach you a lesson about proper manners?_

_Sakura's safety was my priority, and it was either stopping you or letting my girlfriend die in a fall. If you still want to fight, I will be your opponent._- replied Syaoran with clear contained anger on his voice, gently putting Sakura on the ground away from Reimu.

_You just saw me beat the crap of your girlfriend, and you don't have actual spellcards nor can even properly fly by yourself! I guess you really are an idiot... But fighting idiots can be fun on its own way. Very well, your title?_

_Syaoran Li, the sword that protects Sakura!_-said the boy without a moment of hesitation, setting himself on a defensive stance and drawing his blade to position it between him and Reimu, the card mistress laying on the floor behind him.

Reimu opened up with a fresh flurry of ofudas and needles. Syaoran swiftly placed another jufu on his sword:

_**Obey the command! Fire God, Come Forth!**_- a stream of flames came out of from his blade, burning down the incoming projectiles.

The wall of fire pushed forth in the direction of Reimu. She could easily fly upwards, but she knew that would give an opening for Syaoran to pick up Sakura and run away. Pursuing them in this maze of buildings would be basically impossible for her. Neither did she feel like spending more spellcards that night. So instead she teleported to his left side, away from the flames, too close for him to be able to swing his long sword back at her. She closed her right fist and striked.

Syaoran bent his body sideways so that the incoming punch missed while driving his left elbow into Reimu's own belly almost simultaneously, making her stagger. She hadn't expected that.

_**KAAAA!**_-Kick, knee, punch, elbow, kick, kick, punch, Reimu found herself under a flurry of unarmed attacks from Syaoran, struggling to parry them with her sleeved arms to prevent any decisive blow, before finally flying upwards to disengage, where she knew he couldn't follow. But still close enough for her next move.

The shrine maiden pulled out another spellcard while Syaoran pulled another jufu:

_**Obey the command! God of thunder, Come Forth!**_

_**[Dream Land] "Super Duplex Barrier"!**_

Six translucent walls of mystic force formed a protective square around Reimu, just in time to block the incoming lighting. A bigger magic square formed over the top of the building, sealing any possibility of her opponents escaping.

Reimu followed it up with a new stream of ofudas and needles, that vanishes upon hitting the walls of the cube protecting her-only to reappear from the inside of the larger cube, attacking Syaoran and the still fallen Sakura from multiple directions!

Syaoran picked up Sakura with his left arm, dashing away from most of the incoming attacks, and with his right arm deflecting the dangerous projectiles that came closer to him with the blade of his sword. He could sense them coming due to their magic aura even if he couldn't always see them.

Reimu wondered how long could he keep evading like that.

_AAAAHHHHH!_-Meiling charged in screaming with a jump-kick to the external side of Reimu's border! It didn't even budge.

_Meiling, what do you think you're doing here?_-asked Syaoran, continuing to dodge and parry the projectiles from the shrine maiden aimed at him and Sakura.

_I couldn't just stand and watch you struggle like that! Break damnit!_-the chinese girl gritted her teeth and drove both palms of her fists on the mystic barrier in front of her, putting in all her martial training and strength behind. The wall seemed to vibrate a bit this time, but her arms and shoulders were left searing with pain from the impact.

_And you are...? Geez, nevermind that, you don't even a magic aura. Just get out of here before you get really hurt, will you?_-Reimu barely aknowledged the new presence by sending a couple of ofudas out of her barrier towards the new girl. She covered herself with her arms in a defensive position, refusing to retreat, and the explosion knocked her to the ground.

Seeing an opening between Reimu's attacks, Syaoran stepped forward and slashed his blade diagonally at the barrier protecting Reimu. The blade bounced off leaving just a small crack, that quickly self-repaired. The Shrine Maiden smirked at him:

_What's the problem? You carry that big thing with you just for show?_

Syaraon's brain was trying to think of a way to counter-attack, but ways already quite busy evading the seemingly neverending torrent of needles and ofudas.

_I can see it from outside! The barriers are shifting! When she can attack you, you can attack her back!-_screamed Meiling trough her pain.

_Just shut up before I actually get mad at you, kid..._-Reimu launched a few more ofudas outside her barriers and towards the fallen Meiling, making her scream before being reduced to some moans of pain.

Syaoran noticed the pattern then. Reimu launched her attacks to the interior of the inner barrier, and they came out from the inside of external barrier... Some kind of dimensional teleportation. It should work both ways, if he just could sense where the next one would come from...

The boy jumped back, evading another flurry of ofudas, and stabbed his sword at the mystic wall right behind him. The tip of the blade disappeared as it went inside the barrier, and the missing tip appeared right inside Reimu's own cube, aimed at her head.

The Shrine Maiden stepped to the side to evade it just in time, but that forced her to stop focusing on her spellcard, and just as the barriers disintegrated, she teleported to Syaoran's back, drawing a new needle on her hand and thrusting it at a specific nerve point at the base of his skull, which the Shrine Maiden knew would render him paralyzed...

_Now, Sakura!_-screamed Syaoran, ducking and dodging Reimu's attack at the last moment while stepping forward to keep a distance between them. The shrine maiden followed clear combat patterns. He was getting the hang of predicting them.

Then to the Reimu's surprise, Sakura partially opened her eyes and swinged her staff at the dissipating walls of the Duplex Barrier

_**R-return!**_-was all that Sakura could say, still having trouble to breathe due to the lingering pain on her stomach, but her strong will made it enough. Reimu felt her control of another of her spellcards slip away as it coalesced at the tip of the star wand, and this one flew into Syaoran's hands instead of remaining with Sakura.

_Oh no you don't!_-Reimu launched several larger blue ofudas towards her opponents from inside her sleeves, seemingly too big to be concealed anywhere inside her shrine maiden outfit. Sakura was recovering, but still too dizzy to use her own cards, while the boy's jufus surely wouldn't be able to stop this larger projectiles...

Syaoran dropped the card he had just received, and in one fluid movement changed his hold on the handle so the blade's tip was aimed at the falling card, stabbing downwards.

_**Super Duplex Barrier!**_-screamed the boy as his blade struck the captured card.

The protective cubes formed again, this time protecting Sakura and Syaoran from the incoming attack. Reimu could only look from outside with a look of disbelief. She had created her barrier to work across all dimensions, meaning she couldn't just step through dimensional rifts to enter it.

Syaoran wouldn't be able to hold it for long with his remaining magic, but he didn't need to. Sakura was now able to stand on her own. Soon her mind would be clear enough again to fully user her remaining magic power.

_We did it, Syaoran! _

_Not yet, Sakura... If Reimu is from the Hakurei clan, then it means she's been holding back all this time... She still hasn't used her main weapon!_

_Since you've holded out so far, I may as well show you this..._-smirked the shrine maiden. She dropped her arms, and from the sleeves pointing down fell two, four large spheres, each with a black-white design on them. As they fell on the ceiling floor below, there was a loud metallic sound and the concrete cracked, revealing they were made from solid metal.

_You know what those are, Syaoran?_

_The legendary Hakurei Yin-Yang Orbs... Mighty holy weapons designed to battle magic enemies, they've exterminated countless youkai. They were thought to have been lost forever. Only a true member of the Hakurei clan may unlock their true power._

_Don't worry, they've been designed specifically to be unable to do any lasting damage against humans._-explained Reimu smiling innocently, picking one of them up in her left hand, while the other three started to float around her.

_They'll still hurt a lot if they hit you._ _**[Holy Relic] "Yin-Yang Demon God Orb"!**_-The orb Reimu was holding suddenly started glowing with an intense blue light, and Reimu struck it with her gohei as a tennis player would strike a tennis ball with a racket.

The first barrier of Syaoran shattered instantly upon impact. The second holded for half a second before collapsing as well, enough for he and Sakura to get out of its way. The orb fell on the ground behind them, and rebounded up to the sky. Reimu teleported up and struck down the rising orb with her gohei, making it coming crashing down once more, then sent her three other orbs in quick succession.

Sakura and Syaoran found themselves forced to dash and jump around non-stop to evade the heavy ying-yag orbs, too busy to counter-attack. That gave Reimu the opportunity she wanted. Her orbs weren't actually a true spellcard, so she could use another one while the metal spheres kept her opponents busy.

Suddenly Sakura saw Reimu teleport right in front of her, holding a new spellcard on her left hand:

_**[Divine Arts]-"Dragon Slaying Circle"!**_

The card exploded into thousands of red and white amulets and needles that started circling the shrine maiden, forming an intricate wheel with Reimu on the center.

Reimu smirked again as she saw how Sakura was mesmerized by the beatiful pattern right in front of her. Beauty was power. The true strength of this spellcard of hers was the hypnotic effect to make the opponent lower their guard. The shrine maiden lowered her gohei, and the circle of amulets and needles swiftly expanded towards Sakura. The card mistress could see the events unfold in slow motion, but could't move. The attack seemed to be coming from all sides simultaneously. Nowhere to dodge. No time to use more cards...

_SAKURA, MOVE!_-Syaoran suddenly jumped in from the side and shoved Sakura through one opening in the pattern that she couldn't see due to her senses being enthralled by Reimu's spellcard.

Being violently pushed to the edge of the ceiling snapped Sakura back to her senses, and she looked back in time to see Syaoran take the full brunt of Reimu's attack. There was a multitude of white explosions, and then the boy flew away like a rag doll through the air before falling on a nearby ceiling, his torso impaled with dozens of long needles. His sword had dropped at his side. He was completely motionless.

_Syaoran!_-called Sakura. There was no response.

_Tsk, since he appeared out of nowhere, I couldn't help but hit some of his vital points. Once an idiot, always an idiot I guess._-Reimu's expression was now completely emotionless as she flew towards Sakura with her circle of amulets and needles advancing in front of her.

_S-Syaoran's gone?_-tears started coming down from Sakura's face as she jumped back.

_Yes, he's gone. Dead. There's one less person in this world. You have lost him forever. It's just a change in the population count. Even this isn't a big piece of news. People die everyday everywhere._-Reimu rised her shoulders in a showing she didn't really care, expanding her spell circle to envelop Sakura once more.

_H-how can you say that? How can you be so cold?_-Sakura's tears kept flowing as she rotated her staff to deflect the first projectiles from the Shrine Mainen approaching her.

_Look, Sakura, I lost both my parents so young that I can barely remember them. I grew up seeing human corpses appear from the most varied causes of death. I usually can't even be bothered to get out of my bed unless there's some really big disaster going on that threatens a significant part of the population. That's why I don't associate with small fry humans much. They just die too easily. Even if it means they dislike me and I don't get any willing donations, I'm fine with that. I'm fine on my own._-Reimu focused on her circle to finish closing over her struggling opponent, with less and less room left to maneuver with every passing second.

Sakura's head lowered for a moment, tears falling on the ground below her needles and ofudas surrounded her. Reimu wondered if she had finally lost the will to fight and would finally tag along. But suddenly, Sakura pulled another of her cards:

_I...I won't give up! I will make you understand the importance of the feelings of those close to you! **FIREY! RELEASE!**_

As Sakura raised her head, Reimu could see there were no more tears on the red-haired girl's eyes. Instead, they were filled with burning anger, that she channeled through her want into a massive torrent of fire, much bigger than the one Syaoran had used. Sakura's burning flames burned them all to a crisp almost instantly. The leftoever ashes flew towards Sakura's staff and returned to card form, before being transformed into a new pink Sakura card whitout need of any chants, such was their new mistress's current determination.

_I believe you can be a better person, Reimu! Your cards, I can feel your emotions on their magic! Just stop doing wrong things!_-exclaimed Sakura at her opponent as her flames formed a wall between them.

_How rude! I'm just doing my job, it can't be helped._-replied Reimu, gritting her teeth.

Reimu teleported once more behind Sakura to evade the attack, but the magic flames reacted almost instantly, turning around to create a protective wall around their mistress before seeking to engulf Reimu once again.

The shrine maiden dropped back into the floor and swiftly placed several ofudas in the ground around her, raising a translucent blue barrier that stopped the approaching fire. This Sakura seemed to finally be going all out, but Reimu could feel her magic energy levels dropping pretty quickly. She would drain herself out pretty fast at this rate, and Reimu trusted her normal defensive borders to buy her enough time to make her the victor now.

_**SWORD! RELEASE !**_

Through her defensive barrier, Reimu could see how Sakura had pulled out yet another of her cards, that seemed to fuse with her staff, converting it into a pink, elegant rapier. Almost looked like a toy. Reimu smirked. Sakura seemed to be down to her last ropes.

Sakura slashed down her new weapon, and to Reimu's, surpise the movement created an impact wave that cleanly sliced the ceiling below them, causing it to partially collapse. A split second later, Reimu's border was cut in half as well, and a gash appeared through the front part of her clothes. Her sleeves fell apart in pieces. A millimeter deeper and Reimu's flesh would've been cut as well.

_Please give up. I don't want to hurt you._-said Sakura in a sad voice, holding her rapier to Reimu's throat, while Firey surrounded the area around them. No nearby empty space to teleport.

_What did I tell you about interrupting battles for nonsensical reasons?_-asked Reimu, before drawing a last spellcard from her blouse and simultaneously throwing herself upon Sakura's sword. The blade impaled her body and the shrine maiden's blood spilled over Sakura as she saw the life start to disappear from her opponent's eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

The border between life and death was a very dangerous and very hard to master technique, but basically essential on the world where Reimu came from. In the split second after one was hit by a potentially fatal attack, one could channel their leftoever magic energies not only to completely reverse the damage, but to unleash a spell even stronger than normal. The Shrine Maiden didn't usually brag about it, but she was quite talented at this.

A devastating wave of force swept across what remained of the ceiling the were fighting on, dissipating Firey, forcing her back into card form, while knocking Sakura back.

When she got back on her feet, Sakura could see Reimu raise in the air with an eerie surrounded by an eerie white-red aura. Eight ying-Yang orbs floated around her. There was no wound anymore.

Sakura lunged forward once more and tried to slice the orbs with her rapier, but her weapon just passed through them as if they weren't there. She tried piercing Reimu's shoulder next to break her concentration, but once more the blade didn't do any harm with its passing.

_**Fantasy Heaven**_-Sakura heard Reimu's voice inside her head, almost like a dream-_Hakurei Supreme Master Arts by any means. Float away from everything in reality and become invincible. You lose, Sakura._

Reimu's orbs flashed and released a stream of purple and white circular amulets. Sakura dodged just in time, but the shots started becoming faster. Sakura considered what of her cards to use next.

_**THUNDER! RELEASE!**_-Reimu didn't even blink.

* * *

Syaoran stood up, his torso stuck with several needles.

* * *

_**SNOW! RELEASE!**_- summoned Sakura. Completely useless again.

* * *

Syaoran's picked his fallen sword, and started limping towards the nearby show of lights resulting from the conflict from the two magic girls.

* * *

_**SHADOW! **__**RELEASE!**_-Everything failed to even touch the floating Shrine Maiden

Syaoran's whole body was in pain. The needles stuck on his torso were particularly painful. But he didn't have time to worry about that. What only mattered to him was returning to near Sakura...

* * *

_**FREEZE! RELEASE!**_-Was Reimu truly invincible in this state?

* * *

Syaoran's body seemed to be burning as he leaped jumped over an edge of the ceiling to the next.

* * *

_**W-WATERY!** **RELEASE!**_-Sakura felt her last remains of magic energy drain away, struggling to even keep up on her feet, as she stepped aside to dodge a new stream of shots.

Reimu was kinda amused by the show. Sakura was indeed a very strong magician, with a great variety of cards and blessed with talent, motivation and energy. And quite cute too. Her good luck had simply ran out when her path crossed Reimu's.

The shrine maide lined up her orbs to fire a final entraping volley, now that she was sure Sakura couldn't jump far anymore.

_Tell me, oh descendant of the Hakurei clan, if you float away from reality, why are you still clothed?_-Reimu heard a familiar voice asking, seemingly far away.

_Well excuse me, I bring my clothes along so I don't have to fight naked of course!_-replied Reimu in an annoyed tone. Who was interrupting her duel again?

_Then this ends now... **Activate the command! God of thunder, come forth!**_

Reimu felt a extreme shock on her back. Screaming in pain, she reached with her hand to the behind of her robes and felt something that shouldn't be there. Ripping it apart, she saw it was a slip of paper with chinese characters.

_A cheap ward hidden in my clothes...? When...? How...?_-Reimu's mind raced back to the start of their confrontation. Syaoran had lunged forward with his sword and a jufu in hands. When he pulled back, he was just holding his sword, but Reimu hadn't seen him activate the jufu. He had slipped it into her back just as Reimu lunged with her needle.

Turning around, Reimu saw Syaoran standing just behind her, limping a bit and using his sword as a support, needles still stuck on his chest and back, but smiling. Did he knew about the Hakurei's clan ultimate technique? Had been that the reason he had delayed that attack?

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Hakurei card!**_

_Oh crap..._-was all that Reimu could say as she realized the pain of the lighting had made her return to reality. Her orbs had vanished, and as she only managed to turn around just in time to see a smirking Sakura bringing down her staff over her head.

_BONK!_-and the shrine Maiden fell to the ground losing her senses, a large red star-shaped mark formed over her face.

Sakura usually didn't like to see others get hurt. But she would be lying if she said she hadn't felt some satisfaction from smashing Reimu's expression with her wand. The leftover energies from Fantasy Heaven still coalesced into a card form, that flew towards Syaoran's hand.

_Syaoran-kun, you're all right!-_shouted Sakura in pure joy, jumping over her boyfriend and hugging him with all her might.

_Yes, I just was knocked out a bit from that Reimu's attack... Ouch, please be careful with the needles still stuck on me Sakura..._

_I'm sorry!_-Sakura's expression changed back to worry as she realized Syaoran was wounded-How deep did they reach? We need to treat those right away!

_For now just pull them out slowly, carefully_-Syaoran instructed Sakura. The fact that there didn't seem to be much blood on his clothes suggested the wounds hadn't been very deep.

The card mistress followed his instructions, and carefully pulled one of the needles on her boyfriend's chest. It not only came out easily, but also there didn't even seem to be any damage on the fabric. The cloth seemed to have twisted in a tiny node in the point where the needle had got stuck, and when the weapon was removed it returned to its original form. The needle had been applying pressure on Syaoran's skin, thus the pain, but hadn't actually wounded him.

_Oh, lucky! It didn't even leave a hole!_-as Sakura pulled off the remaining needles one by one, they all worked the same way.

_That's strange..._-Syaoran picked up one of the discarded needles, took off his left glove and touched its sharp tip with his index finger. A sudden sharp pain and a drop of blood came out as it punctured his skin. It was exceptionally sharp. How come it hadn't pierced Tomoyo's clothes...?

Something then clicked on Syaoran's mind. He had been fighting alongside Sakura for years now. He had seen her attacked by lighting, fire, ice, forced to do all kind of strenous movements at high speeds, rolling around, getting knocked againt walls... And yet at the end of the day the fancy clothes that Tomoyo made for her didn't have a single scratch or rip on them. Except for that one time Eriol forced him to turn his sword against her. But that was no ordinary blade. It was an unique Li family relic. There weren't much other sharper blades than his in this world besides Sakura's own Sword card. The customes Tomoyo created were definitily no ordinary pieces of clothing!

_There, all done! Wow, that's really lucky, not a single one left a mark! I'm so glad..._-said Sakura, stepping back up and tenderly gazing at Syaoran. The boy gazed back for a moment, starting to blush intensely, before looking to the side. He still wasn't used to when Sakura stared so lovey-dovey at him.

This allowed Syaoran to notice the half-destroyed ceiling they were standing on.

_Right, but I think you went a bit overboard in this battle, Sakura. _You'll need to use your cards to fix this ceiling a bit before we leave.

_But I'm really tired..._-pouted Sakura.

_Here, have my leftover magic energy to do it..._-Syaoran stood up and tenderly embraced Sakura, before softly kissing her in the lips, and the girl felt his boyfriend's power flow into her.

* * *

Meanwhile Meiling observed the scene from a corner of the ceiling, still fallen on the ground due to the pain lingering in her body, murmuring to herself:

_Again, I was completely useless... If I just had more power... But at least they're fine..._

* * *

_Sakura-chan is so cute when she's kissing!_-squealed Tomoyo, recording every moment. She made a mental note to contact her mother to arrange for the usual bribes and public excuses to cover Sakura's magic activities.

Luckily none of Tomoeda's citizens so far seemed suspicious about so many events of "special fireworks" over the last years. Not that her mother herself knew the truth either. All Tomoyo had to say was that it was "for Sakura's sake" and mommy would make it happen if money and social contacts could do it.

* * *

After some discussion about what to do with this Reimu shrine maiden, the group decided to restrain her and go to Syaoran's house, since not even Tomoyo would be able to get away without questions if they walked into her mansion in the middle of the night carrying an unknown girl with torn clothes. On the other hand Syaoran and Meiling were now living alone in their luxurious apartment, as part of their training to become independent.

Yue returned to Yukito's house while Keroberos turned back into Kero and went with them.

Reimu was carefully tied up. Tomoyo revaled herself to be carrying several lengths of rope, and to know how to skilffuly tie knots to use them to bind an human being. Syaoran added a few sealing jufu wards to the bindings, that should stop her from using any kind of magic, trying to don't think too deeply about why Tomoyo was carrying ropes or why did she know how to use them to bind an human being.

They stashed Reimu on the bed of one of the guest rooms, Sakura turning the local TV on so she wouldn't get bored when she woke up, and then they took warm baths in turns to relax from the night of action. Changing into more confortable clothing (Meiling borrowed some of her stuff to the other girls), Syaoran prepared chinese tea and cookies before they sitted down talking about the night's events.

Eventually Syaoran pulled one of the needles he had retrieved from the combat scene and left it fall with the sharp side pointing down over the table. It pierced the wood from one side to the other and impaled itself on the ground below.

_Ooohh, that's sharp, you're really, really lucky you didn't get hurt by those, Syaoran-kun!_-commented Sakura with an admired face.

Meiling just stared silently. If that Reimu was using such a dangerous weapon, she surely should be a great martial artist...

Tomoyo just left out a small chuckle and kept her normal smile.

_Thing is, Sakura-chan, I don't think it was just luck..._

Syaoran picked up the glove he had been wearing earlier that night, picked up another of Reimu's needles, and stabbed down with all his might. The glove contorted a bit, but the needle didn't get trough.

_Can you explain this to us, Tomoyo?_-asked Syaoran, looking the blue-haired girl on the eyes.

The blue-haired girl remained silent and smiling for a few seconds, before finally replying.

_Hohoho, I suppose I can't keep this one a secret anymore. It's femtofiber fabric!_

_Femtofiber fabric you say?_

_Yes!_-Tomoyo's eyes started to shine- It's what I use in all of Sakura's customes since she became a card captor! Even if I can't fight alongside her, this way I can support Sakura on my own way. And your clothes as well, since Sakura revealed me she would reciprocate your feelings...

_I've heard that name before from my mother_-thought Syaoran aloud- _some new secret fiber that was basically indestructible while being basically weightless and easy to move on... But it's supposed to be insanely difficult to produce, and even harder to weave into actual clothing! It seems like only the richest people in the world have even a plain shirt made of that for personal protection, and even then it takes a full team of highly skilled experts months to weave each of those, with an exclusive waiting list of years!_

_That's why I learned how to create and weave femtofiber fabric myself, silly, so Sakura could have it right away. Mommy was also fine with buying me all the rare base materials I needed. I'll only give the very best for Sakura! And for her special one as well... After each of Sakura's adventures, I would review the video footate and think of how to improve my sewing skills for her next custome. _-explained Tomoyo as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Syaoran always suspected that Tomoyo was quite skilled with her hands, and much smarter than your average 12 year old girl. Now he was sure he had seriously understimated her true capabilities.

_So, why did you keep it a secret?_-he asked.

_First, because if word come out that I have a collection of femtofiber fabric uniforms in my basement, mother would need to turn my house into a fortress. Second..._

_Hhhooeeee... Just how much work and money have you been investing in me, Tomoyo...?_-was all that Sakura could say while staring at her friend with a dumbfounded face

_...I didn't want to worry Sakura-chan like that. Don't worry, I really enjoy doing them for you, and my mother has more money than what she knows what to do with._-finished Tomoyo, petting Sakura on the head.

_Speaking of valuable things..._-Syaoran retrieved the two cards he had gained that night and placed them in the middle of the table-I think it is time we question our mystery guest about those.

_They aren't Clow Cards, but they look kinda similar..._-commented Sakura, retrieving the two she had converted this night.

_You have enough energy to convert those two tonight as well, Sakura? I believe it would be the safer course of action._

_No, you keep them Syaoran. You gained those with your own effort, and I also gained two anyway. Just like we did when we started._-Sakura's innocent smile as she said this made Syaoran blush again.

_Well, let's get going_-said Syaoran, standing up and walking away from the table, trying to hide his face of embarrassment. To remember he had been the one starting the card capturing rivarly between them... Honestly it had all been an attempt from him to motivate Sakura to capture the Clow Cards faster. Not a perfect plan of course. He had ended up with several of the cards under his belt because at the end of the day Sakura couldn't do it alone, damn Clow to hell for forcing her to go trough so many hard trials at such a young age. Luckily Yue's judgement allowed Syaoran to transfer them to Sakura simply by inflicting himself an auto-loss. Offering them directly to Sakura would've been way too humiliating. It all worked out in the end, he never wanted any of those cards for himself... Right?

_I'll bring Reimu the leftover tea and cookies._-stated Sakura, picking up the tray with the leftovers.

_Hey, I'm not finished yet!_-complained Kero, that had been just too busy eating while the others talked-Besides that shrine maiden was trying to beat you senseless and almost killed the brat not an hour ago!

_You mean like half the Clow Cards did as well?_-asked Meiling in a sarcastic tone, rolling her eyes.

_I think she was just having a bad night. Besides she's our guest, we can't forget our manners._-Sakura's optimism was ever unwavering, starting to walk towards the guest room.

_Sakura-chan's so cute when she's being kind to her enemies!_-squealed Tomoyo, having restarted her camera recording.

_Mind if I take those along?_-asked Meiling, carefully picking up the pile of needles Syaoran had gathered from the combat area.

_Hmm, sure, just be careful, they're really sharp._

_Who do you think I-OUCH!_


	4. Chapter 4

Syaoran opened the door to the guest room with his sword drawn out. He had checked the bindings and wards left on Reimu thrice before leaving her, but it didn't hurt to be too safe.

Reimu was staring at the TV with a peaceful smile on her face, and took several seconds to notice there were other people on the room.

_Oh, hello again. This moving pictures box of yours is really amusing!_-greeted them Reimu when they entered the room, before turning her head back to the TV. She didn't seem to mind one bit by still being binded.

_Hmm, really sorry for having you trapped like that, but it's just so that we can have a peaceful talk... You like tea and cookies?_-asked Sakura, presenting the tray with the leftovers while adjusting the pillows behind Reimu's head.

_Love them, but afraid it'll be a bit hard to eat with my hands like this_-shrugged of Reimu, looking at her arms tied together against her belly.

_I could give you the food directly into the mouth..._-innocently suggested Sakura.

Tomoyo instantly stepped on front of Reimu and undid some of the knots, allowing Reimu some use of her hands.

_There, now you can eat by yourself._-said the blue-haired girl.

_Hmm, thanks?_-Reimu replied, wondering why this Tomoyo was suddenly glaring at her with a diabolical look on her eyes. Envy? Hatred? Frustration? A combination of the previous? Meh, nothing that she hadn't seen before. Although it usually came from people Reimu had personally screwed over.

Of course, the diabolical look on Tomoyo's eyes was gone when she turned back to Sakura

_Here, let me put this on our guest's lap, Sakura-chan._

_Ah, allright, Tomoyo-chan..._

Syaoran was confused. The menacing aura from Reimu during the battle. seemed to be competely gone.

_Don't think you can make us drop our guard just by acting like that. We know you're just waiting an opportunity to attack us..._-warned him.

_Why would I want to attack you now? Like, you defeated me, I was expecting you to just leave me there at best or take me as a sacrifice for some unholy ritual at worst. Instead when I woke up I'm in a cozy warm room in a big soft bed, and you even have that talking box showing funny pictures all the time. And now I even get room service! I don't mind this penalty game for losing one bit._

Reimu paused to take a sip of her tea and munch some of the cookies.

_You even have glasses in your windows, people! And there's been not even one youkai trying to get inside! And this is some damn good tea and cookies. I can't even taste the mud on the water, and there's no bugs inside the filling! Can't remember the last time I was somewhere this luxurious!_

_Ok, being tied up sucks a bit, but any excuse for not needing to do any work around here is a good excuse._

The card captor gang all sweatdropped simultaneously as Reimu kept drinking, eating and watching TV.

_Well, can you explain me what are those?_-asked Syaoran, flashing Fantasy Heaven and Super Duplex Barrier to Reimu.

_Oh, those? They're spellcards. You sure you never heard of them? Your girl seems to have quite the collection._

_And what exactly are spellcards?_-asked Sakura this time.

_A system of magic developed by me to give normal humans a fighting chance against Youkai. In a first step you create cards that represent certain aspect of your personality or life experiences or beliefs. Elemental forces, items, abstract concepts or memories work too. Anything that could remotely be useful in combat. Then you channel your inner energy into them to unleash beautiful and powerful attacks. They have some degree of sentience to make them easier to use. They'll grow and evolve with the user's own growth and evolution. Not that it seems to have done a lot of good for the original objective. Like, there's countless youkai running rampart with spellcards nowadays, but just two or three other humans besides me that can stand up to youkai in a spellcard battle. Sakura there would be a new addition to the list. Maybe Syaoran too, now that you have actual spellcards instead of just cheap chinese papers (even if those are some pretty good seals you put on me). _

_Hoooee_-let out Sakura, her eyes starting to spin in confusion.

Reimu's answer was raising many more questions, so Syaoran continued the interrogation:

_You say you designed the spellcard system yourself? You never really heard of Clow?_

This time Reimu's face changed to a serious expression, and she seemed to focus as if searching her mind for something.

_Yeah... Now that you mention it, I can't claim to have all the credit for creating the spellcard system (not that you'll ever hear me admit it outside this room). I was inspired by some old scripts I found during one of my extermination missions. About combining Eastern and Western magic into special, sentient cards that would deeply bound with the wielder. The author of the scripts was "Clow Reed". It was his work that I used as the basis of my own. Since I believed this Clow would've been dead and gone long ago, I decided to take all the credit for myself._-finished Reimu with a look of pride on her face.

_You say there's many others besides you with spellcards... So why haven't we heard anything about them? We searched far and wide for the Clow Cards, but never really found much other signs of magic._-asked Sakura, now with a serious look on her face.

Reimu stared back at her, changing her expression to an annoyed one.

_Damn... You're really from the outside world, aren't you? This sucks. Guess somebody pulled a big prank on me. But since you're magic users yourselves, I guess I may as well reveal it to you._

_I come from an hidden land called Gensokyo. It's not very clear when or why it was founded, whatever scriptures are left aout that are murky at best._

_Long story short, there was this infernal youkai-infested wasteland in Japan that terrorized its surroundings. Heroic humans flocked in to exorcise and exterminate the youkai, even if many of them died on the attempts._

_But the rest of the world was changing. Increasingly scientific and skeptical. Magic was fading from the world, being sealed and forgotten, and with it the youkai and heroic humans were disappearing as well. My clan... Made a pact with the Youkai to seal Gensokyo from the rest of the world. Isolated and hid us from the rest of the world. The Great Hakurei border they called it. Since then it kinda became a refuge for other youkai and magicians from the rest of the world that flocked to us. We created our little paradise where whatever magic was left on the world could survive... But it seems like there's still some pretty strong magic out there after all. Funny that. The border isn't perfect however. Sometimes cracks appear and somebody gets in or out. _

_Kero, you know something about that?_-asked Sakura, her face filled with curious fascination about this whole hidden fantasy world tale.

_Hmm, I think I rememer Clow telling a history about a magic sealed area in Japan, but the part where it was dominated by female youkai that liked to all disguise themselves as humanoid girls and ladies made me think he was just making stuff up._

_There's some similar records on the Li family_-added Syaoran-_However since there was no clear evidence of its existence, it was never investigated further._

_So, what do you intend to do now that you got your ass kicked?_-asked Meiling.

_Dunno._-replied Reimu back to her emotionless tone-_Original plan was to drag Sakura back to Gensokyo, kicking and screaming if needed. But since you defeated me, and I don't feel like returning home empty-handed, I may as well go sightseeing around a bit._

_Will you try to don't raise any more ruckus?_-asked Syaoran, more suspicious of this whole tale at every passing second.

_Can't make any promises on that. This is a strange world you have here, don't really know your customs and laws. Who would've thought that throwing needles at people is a crime around here? It wasn't like I was aiming at their vitals or anything!_

Syaoran sighed. What were they gonna do with this Shrine Maiden? Returning her to this Gensokyo place felt like the correct thing to do, but they had no idea where it was in Japan, and Reimu certainly wouldn't tell them.

_I know! We're on vacation, so we can show Reimu around Tomoeda, and this way make sure she doesn't get into trouble!_-exclaimed Sakura.

_Don't expect me to pay any money for a guided tour. I have none._-commented Reimu, nibbling another cookie.

_Oh, don't worry, we'll do it for fun! Won't we, Syaoran-kun, Tomoyo-chan, Meiling-chan?_-Sakura had her "let's all get along" smiling face now.

_Ah, fine, escorting the demonic shrine maiden it is..._-conceded Syaoran, sighing.

_As long as I can record Sakura-chan!_-replied Tomoyo.

_I'll tag along as well to help!_-added Meiling

_We'll buy lots of cake!-_said Kero.

_Great, can you untie me now? I really want to scratch my back._-stated Reimu.

_Tomoyo, please? I really feel like Reimu won't try to do any more bad stuff to us._

With the request from Sakura, Tomoyo bent down and skilfully undid the biddings on Reimu. True to her word, the shrine maiden started scratching her back while remaining laying down.

_If you would like to to refresh yourself, the main bathroom's clear now. I can mend your robes while you wash yourself._-added Tomoyo.

_I'll take that offer. How long will you take to heat up the water?_

* * *

Reimu exited the Li's apartment main bathroom wrapped up in a towel and with a look of satisfaction on her face. Ceramic tiles. A working toilet. Constant clean water, warm or cold at her preference. This world was looking better and better. That Syaoran had covered her remaining spellcards with sealing jufus and said he would remove them when and if she proved she could be trusted that didn't worry her too much. They really seemed like nice kids. She didn't even feel annoyed that she had lost some of her spellcards that night. Victor takes the spoils they want, it was one of the very rules Reimu enforced as a shrine maiden in Gensokyo.

_Please teach me your family's martial arts! Teach me how to use those needles of yours!_-suddenly asked a voice behind her.

Reimu turned and found herself staring back a girl with black hair, parted in the middle, into two buns on either side of her head and the rest hanging down.

_Your name was Meiling, right kid?_

_Yes!_

_You're chinese?_

_Yes!_

_You're a normal person that loves martial arts that don't involve inner magic ability and wants to use them to guard something very important to you without actually expecting any significant reward in the future?_

_H-How did you know that?_

_I'm good at hunches. But you already looked pretty good at martial arts tonight. _

_I'm not good enough! I wanted to help and ended squirming on the ground right after starting to fight!_

_You hit one of my barriers with your bare hands and were still standing. That alone is reason for pride in your martial ability, Meiling._

_...What?_

_My borders are both offense and defense. Anybody but me touching them directly will be inflicted with great disabling pain. But you not only resisted it, you also managed to make it budge a bit. I only remember one other person who could do so. She may make a good teacher for you. Not me however, you're asking the wrong person. I kinda fight on instinct. Not something I can easily pass to another..._

_I'll pay you!_-Meiling pulled a large stack of bills, each with multiple zeros, from her blouse. Her allowance from the Li family for the week, a last desesperate gamble. Even if Reimu looked like a piss-poor person, there was no guarantee whatsoever she would sell off her clan's secrets for material gain.

The shrine maiden's eyes flashed at the sight of so much money. She wouldn't need to plunder for food and drink for quite some time with that, in this world or the other. Sure, they usually used old coins in Gensokyo, but Korindou was always willing to trade in other forms of currency.

_So, when do we start?_-asked Reimu, picking the bills from Meiling's hand.

_Now. The night's still young. There's a training room at the end of this hall. Go grab your clothes from Tomoyo and meet me there._


	5. Chapter 5

_So, let me see if I can get this straight, Tomoyo. You don't have any magic powers or martial arts training or artifacts, and yet you insist on following Sakura and Syaoran and recording all of their activities in camera?_-asked Reimu as the blue-haired girl put the finishing touches on her repaired shrine maiden robes.

_That's correct, Reimu-chan. I want to record as much of Sakura-chan's adventures as possible!_

_Then, you're a reporter wannabe? You publish it all in a journal or something?_

_Oh no, my recordings of Sakura-chan and her close ones are for my personal enjoyment._

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two girls.

_How long have you loved Sakura, Tomoyo?_

_My, you're sharper than you look, Reimu-chan. And me here thinking you didn't care about other people's feelings._

_Drop the flattery. Just because I usually don't care about them, doesn't mean I don't notice other people's feelings. Is also part of a shrine maiden's duties after all, since extreme grudges and lingering feelings can spawn youkai. Sakura seems to regard you as a pretty good friend, but the way you behave near her say you have stronger feelings for her. However Sakura's heart seem to already be captured by that boy, Syaoran. I would expect you to be trying to sabotage that. But instead you seem to actually be supporting them. It makes me curious, just that._

_I've loved Sakura-chan pretty much ever we since met. Long before she and Syaoran-kun met. She's pretty and kind and generous and full of energy and wonderful and becoming even more every day. I... Did my best to make her happy. Confessed my true feelings to Sakura-chan. Multiple times. But she can be quite dense about what other people think of her sometimes._

_Then, how did the magician boy do it? He doesn't look like he knows any emotion-manipulating magic._

_Ah, that was a bit of a complicated story. You probably already noticed it, but Sakura-chan usually has that happiness aura around her, that makes everybody else around warm up to her._

_Don't tell me about it. I usually wouldn't even throw a chance for my opponent to settle things without a fight, but something about that Sakura made me want to at least try to peacefully bring her to Gensokyo. If I didn't know she was an human, I could have sworn she was an optimism youkai or something._

_But it was different with Syaoran-kun. He and he alone seemed immune to Sakura-chan's soothing presence. You should've seen how he glared at her the first time they met. Syaoran-kun said he wanted to capture her magic cards. He bluntly pointed out her weaknesses and failings at every turn. Something that I, nor anybody else who knew her, had the courage to do. One could think it was a rivalry, even hate. But eventually I saw how it was actually a deep love. What he wanted to capture was not Sakura-chan's cards, but her very heart from the start. Even if he didn't realize it himself. Syaoran-kun was always quite shy about revealing his feelings with words after all, but his actions were completely sincere. His insults and provocations helped Sakura-chan overcome her shortcomings. When her life was in danger, Syaoran-kun was always there to protect her at the risk of his own life, even as he pretended to ignore her thanks and kindness. Sakura-chan learned to trust him above everybody else. Syaoran-kun would always be there for her, even in her moments of weakness. When her first love crush rejected her confession, it was to Syaoran-kun that Sakura-chan went for comfort. It was just in front of him that she cried her sadness out. It was only to Syaoran-kun that she openly let out the feelings deepest inside her heart. Meanwhile I... Always held back my actions. Always composed. Always lady-like. Always making sure to don't do anything that may hurt Sakura-chan's heart. I always smiled back at her smiles. She never saw me cry or scream, you know? Ironically, it ended up meaning Sakura-chan wouldn't want to cry near my person, never fully opening her heart to me. Not with Syaoran-kun. He was willing to hurt Sakura-chan's feelings when he believed it would help her. He alone dared to fully open his heart to her, showing both his bad and good sides, and this way captured Sakura-chan's own heart. I still had to nudge them towards openly revealing their true feelings for each other, Sakura-chan being a bit dense and Syaoran-kun being too shy with words. But they're really happy with each other now. I regret nothing._

_I'm not gonna pretend I really understood half of what you just said. But it sounds like if this Syaoran hadn't the courage to blurt out his love without your help, you would've still had a chance with Sakura._

_But could I make Sakura-chan as happy as Syaoran-kun would? I thought long and hard about it, and the answer was always no. I could never keep up with Sakura-chan's needs. I can at best support her from behind, while Syaoran-kun can stand by her side forever. He's the one who can make her the most happy._

_Tomoyo, where I come from there's countless girls that did the most crazy things to gain power to chase their feelings._

_And how many of them have achieved happiness of heart for themselves and their partners?_

_Hmm... Well…"Happiness of heart" is overrated. _

_Is it now? Anyway I'm finished with your robes, Reimu-chan. Here's your ofudas, orbs and needles as well, Sakura-chan insisted you have them back to you in return for Syaora-kun keeping your cards sealed for the moment. I must say it's quite an ingenuous design how you store them in your clothes._

As Tomoyo stored her portable sewing tools and left the room, Reimu stood silently thinking for some moments on the conversation she had just had. True love? Happiness forever? A special one for her heart with which you can openly share your feelings? A face crossed her mind. The one who Reimu had shared so many adventures with, laughs and tears, sometimes as rivals, others as allies.

_R-Ridiculous! Anyway, Meiling's waiting for me. Some exercise will help me forget all this nonsense Tomoyo filled my head with._-Whispered Reimu to herself, trying to make it sound true. Dueling and drinking and feasting were the ways she filled her heart's needs. She didn't want anything else on her heart. She didn't need anything else on her heart.

* * *

_Syaoran's li room_

The chinese boy was standing in place, holding the room's phone and speaking with somebody else trough the connection.

_...And that's what happened today, mother._-finished Syaoran, talking over to his only remaining parent back in China.

_Those are grave news. You must prepare yourself and Sakura-chan. Clow Reed lived hundreds of years due to him stopping his own aging with magic, perhaps over a thousand years, the ancient records aren't clear. During that time he made himself an enemy of some very powerful youkai that were rumored to having been sealed or escaping to the fantasy land: Gensokyo.-_answered Yelan Li, Syaoran's mother

_So I suppose that again you'll neglect to send us any extra support?_

_Your sisters have their own duties to attend to, as you should know well. Besides you did _ _succeed splendidly in our goal of making sure Sakura-chan would become the new mistress of the cards, and thus a perfect future candidate for the place of wife of the next head of the Li clan. She proved to be a strong and resourceful kid, just as you. The combination of your capacities is much greater than the sum of your parts. Send Sakura-chan a kiss from my part, Syaoran._

_And no kiss for me, again? Would it kill you to show some affection for me, mother?_

_I used to be affectionate with your father. You know how he ended up._

_Actually, no, I don't. You never told me and forbid me to ask._

_He relaxed his guard at the wrond moment and was killed by a stray youkai. You're the last man of the Li family's main lineage. You must be tough. Believe it or not, I do this for your own good. Remember, Sakura is a strong girl, but unlike you, she still needs affection to keep going forward, since she fights for the sake of those who like her, while you've always been willing to fight for your own beliefs even if alone. _

And with this the phone connection was cut out. Syaoran sighed. His mother had always demanded for him to keep her updated on any magic events on Tomoeda, but then always declined to offer any kind of pratical or clear advice despite being a mighty sorcerer herself. Well, she did pay his bills and gave him a pretty nice allowance to boot.

* * *

The training room was spacious, simple space, with a wooden floor and training mats. There were some sliding doors that seemed like they were used for storing basic equipment. Reimu stared a moment the orange, cream and red battle custome of Meiling who was standing in front of her, waiting for the shrine maiden to say something.

_Hmm, just asking, kid, but isn't your uniform missing something down there? Like, I can see most of your leg skin from here. Earlier tonight I thought I had accidentally blasted it off from you, but now that you had time to change up, you're still not wearing anything down there._-Was the first thing Reimu said after entering the room, staring down at Meiling's exposed legs. The shrine maiden was used to a land where basically every girl and woman wore some sort of long dress, robes, or baggy pants.

_You really need to modernize your fashion sense, miss "I want everybody to see my armpits"!_-retorted the chinese girl.

_Ok, that does it! Chat time's over! Let's see how you deal with basic danmaku! You can't fight at all if you get hit first after all!_-Reimu finished her reply by throwing a needle at Meiling's face. The nonmagic girl swung her left hand forward without blinking and snatched it from in mid-air with a smug look on her face, twirling the projectile between her fingers.

_That was just to check if you were paying attention._-warned Reimu before swinging her sleeves open and unleashing a full-out needle barrage.

To the shrine maiden's surprise, Meiling reacted with lighting reflexes, elegantly standing in one foot and swiftly swinging her arms and free leg around, almost as if dancing, deflecting most of the incoming needles with her own large sleeves and shoes. Those that weren't deflected were the ones she catched in mid-air. When the needle barrage ended, Reimu saw that Meiling was holding a dozen of her needles in each hand, plus another between her clenching teeth. She grinned proudly at Reimu.

The shrine maiden just retrieved one of her orbs from inside her robes with an expressionless face, made it grow until it was almost as tall as Meiling, and threw it at the chinese girl. She reacted by dropping the needles she was holding, pulling back her arms while closing her fists, and then pushing them both forward at the same time in the last moment before the Hakurei orb would've smashed her. The large metal sphere was pushed back across the room with even greater speed due to the double punch projecting it, forcing Reimu to catch it with both hands, before reducing it back to miniature size. Looking back at her opponent, the shrine maiden saw the chinese girl was now kneeling on the floor with her arms trembling and her knuckles injured from the effort she had just exerted at deflecting the Hakurei orb. Reimu slowly walked near her and asked:

_You aren't very familiar with the concept of dodging, are you, Meiling? I'll give you points for bravery, but you could've broken both your arms doing that._

_Owwiii_-whimpered Meiling, massaging her bruised fists.- _I can't run away from attacks..._

_Why not?_

_Because then what I'm guarding will be exposed to danger..._

_That talk again. And what are you exactly supposed to guard that's so important to you?_

_Syaoran-kun... And Sakura-chan._

_Ghu... Fine, I already gave one mystic love consultation tonight to that Tomoyo girl, I may as well give you another. Talk your heart out to me, kid. If I know why you fight, it'll help me train you._

_I was Syaoran-kun's first girlfriend. Well, I'm not sure he ever saw me as that, I kinda forced myself upon him..._

_Oh, I could've sworn I had overheard he was your cousin. _

_That too. We grew up in the same house..._

_Eerr, just skip that part then._

_Well, one day Syaoran's mother tells him to go to Japan because there's this little girl who unleashed the Clow Cards that are now rising trouble all around this city. After some weeks away from him I felt so lonely that I begged for a whole week to be sent to Japan to live with him. Syaoran-kun's mother ended up accepting my request. When I arrived I found Syaoran-kun getting all comfy with a certain red-haired girl and a blue-haired girl on his house..._

_Oh, so he started cheating on you the moment you took his eyes out of him? I would imagine you would get pissed off at him._

_Actually, I thought it was Sakura-chan working to seduce him. A little witch seeking to steal my Syaoran-kun's heart with her dirty tricks..._

_Well, from my point of view looks like she succeeded all right. So why do you want to protect her now?_

_See, Reimu, that's the problem. The witch using dirty tricks was me. I was nothing but a selfish brat that wanted Syaoran-kun all for myself, and I tried to use a lot of underhanded stuff I'm really not proud of today. Meanwhile Sakura-chan's doesn't only have magic powers, she's also at least just as athletic and pretty as me, and then also kind, gentle, generous... The only thing in which I'm superior to her is on martial arts, and that's only while she doesn't bother using her cards to grant herself super-strength or something like that. Of course Syaoran-kun would choose her over me as his love interest! And I tried to hate Sakura-chan, I really tried, but I just couldn't when I got to know her better. She's just too cheerful and optimistic and willing to help others. They were meant for each other and I was just getting on their way. So I gathered all the courage I had left, formally ended with Syaoran-kun, and left back to Hong-Kong..._

_Yet here you are._

_Correct... I'm still in love with Syaoran-kun. I just can't be away from him for long. The loneliness is unbearable. But being near him while he's happy is enough for me now, even if he's being happy with Sakura-chan. So I do my best to protect them both with my limited capacities. That's enough for me. I even started reading etiquette manuals that Tomoyo-chan recommended me so I'm sure I don't step between them again..._

Meiling was about to start crying her heart out when she saw Reimu's closed fist approaching her face. When she noticed it, the chinese girl had been sent flying across the room and there was a sharp pain on her left cheek where Reimu's knuckle had connected with her body.

_And you call yourself a woman? Stop brooding like that, Meiling! If you still love Syaoran, all you need to do is to keep challenging Sakura until you win! If she has magic, you'll just have to train your martial arts until your surpass her! If she's as pretty as you, then you'll just have to become more beautiful! _-shouted Reimu as she kicked the floor and quickly flew towards the chinese girl, holding her closed fist forward ready to deliver her another punch.

_What do you want me to do, Reimu? Sakura-chan's my good friend now. I can't hurt her!_-Meiling stood up from the ground with a flip from her body, just in time to parry Reimu's charge with her left arm and instinctively delivering a counter with the other.

_Nonsense! Where I come from people always talk their issues trough physical duels, even when they actually care and respect for each other! Hands always talk louder than mouths!_-Reimu grazed Meiling's incoming fist that punched a hole in the wall behind her and spun in mid-air, bringing her outstrettched legs over Meiling's head.

_My hands are for supporting Syaoran-kun and Sakura-chan, now and forever!-_defiantly shouted Meiling as she grabbed Reimu's legs and used the shrine-maiden's own impulse to throw her in the ground. As one fluid movement, Meiling followed up by jumping over her fallen opponent and closing her legs over Reimu's arms while still holding a firm grab on her legs. The shrine maiden suddenly found herself face-down on the floor with all her limbs locked up!

Then Reimu teleported from under her and reappeared on the other side of the room, smirking:

_Good, you still didn't lose your human spirit! That Tomoyo doomed herself to always skulk on the shadows under Sakura. At this rate one day she'll become a sorrow youkai or worst. But you still have hope for your life. Tell me, have you got any weapon experience?_

_No... The Li Clan's vaults have a variety of magic weapons, but they're for exclusive use of the family members that have magic ability. Since I never manifested any, I was only ever trained in unarmed combat. But I'm ready to learn!_

_Good enough, pick one of those needles you grabbed from me earlier._

Meiling obeyed and quickly gathered some of the nearby fallen needles laying on the ground.

_Now listen to the basics._-started explaining Reimu,taking a new needle from inside her sleeves and holding it in her hand-_The persuasion needle is probably the oldest and most simple anti-youkai weapon. They must be crafted by one of pure heart, or with wood from an holy tree, but otherwise don't actually demand any magic from the wielder to use, unlike talismans, just a good throwing hand. They can potentially pierce all but the strongest mystic barriers, as long as you can pinpoint their vulnerable points._

_And how do you use them?_

_Aim the pointy side to your enemy's weak spots and push forward._

_Eeeehhh, seriously? No special secret techniques or disciplined training routines?_

_Well, as I had told you earlier, I kinda fight on instinct. Mostly self-taught. I can only teach you by doing. You ready?_-asked Reimu while pulling three needles in each hand, held between her fingers, and spreading her arms open.

_Always._- grinned Meiling while she held her bundle of needles with her left hand and retrieved one with her right.

The two girls proceeded running at each other. Meiling threw a flurry of needles with each step, that Meiling skillfully deflected with her sleeves before sending back one of her own at the shrine maiden. Reimu simply stepped a bit to the side, letting the approaching needle harmlessly graze her clothes. She seemed to just gracefully float.

In a few seconds they had reached other, and each held a needle tightly in each hand. Reimu's movements remained graceful, not doing any unnecessary movements. She had never really received any formal martial training, but was blessed with a naturally strong and fast body combined with an almost supernatural sense of intuition that allowed her to predict her opponent's attacks in combat. In contrast Meiling seemed a flash of energy with wide moves, her strength and speed earned from a life of diligent training from growing up as a child of the Li clan. However while her opponent was not using her mystic powers, Meiling still lacked Reimu's sense of intuition. Soon she found herself with several thin cuts over her skin from needle strikes that came too close, only managing to dodge when she felt the tips puncturing her skin. When Reimu had thrown her needles they followed a predictable trajectory, but now that they were in close combat she could attack from unexpected angles.

Then Reimu found that Meiling was no longer being pushed back and was holding her ground. At first the shrine maiden tought her opponent was just trying to imitate her movements, but then she herself started being pushed back. Reimu then realized that Meiling was superior to her in a direct martial arts confrontation. She had only been pushed back on the beginning because she had been adapting to her unique style.

_Ok, let's see how you deal with this now!_-Reimu teleported back again, placing a series of ofudas on the ground that projected a translucent blue barrier separating them.

Meiling observed the new barrier for a moment, focusing her expression, then without hesitation threw one of her new needles to its surface and slammed her open palm on the spot where the needle touched Reimu's barrier. The mystic obstacle cracked, and Meiling repeated the process with a kick, fully shattering it.

This had however given Reimu enough time to create an even bigger horizontal barrier that filled most of the room, holded in one hand. With a flick of her wrist it started falling downwards, passing over her own body harmlessly while Meiling felt a painful shock as she tried to touch it with a rising arm. She thew another needle upwards followed by an uppercut strike, managing to damage the barrier descending over her, but it was too thick.

_Oh, c'mon, there's no way I can deal with something that big!_-cried out the chinese girl as she found herself being forced to crouch, trying to hold up the barrier without touching it using her needles as supports.

_Hmmm..._-Reimu was floating near the room's ceiling, watching Meiling struggle to keep herself from being crushed by the descending barrier-_I'm feeling tired. Let's call it a draw for tonight._

And like that the massive barrier vanished. Reimu landed on the floor and started calmly walking towards the exit door of the room, turning back just before opening it.

_You did well, Meiling. You could have become a fine youkai exterminator if you had been born in Gensokyo. But you've made one grave mistake at the end._

_What?_

_You claimed that an obstacle was too big for you to deal with. You cannot ever win if you imagine your own defeat. The other you in Gensokyo always made a last stand even when cornered._

Once the shrine maiden exited the room, leaving a confused Meiling thinking about her words, Reimu fell to her knees. That last barrier had consumed most of her magic energy since her spellcards were currently sealed. Meiling would've had a clear victoy if she hadn't fallen to despair on the last moment.

* * *

_In a traditional house in Gensokyo._

As Yukari closed the gap trough which they had been observing the recent events in Tomoeda, there were some moments of awkward silence before Yuuka finally spoke:

_Well, at least that was something enjoyable to watch._

_What do you have to say for this, Yukari? Not only was Reimu beaten, the card mistress has grown stronger from her defeat. Also, why was the shrine maiden claiming she had orders to bring Sakura back here?-_glared Kanako at the border youkai.

_A magic power such as hers should not go to waste. If Reimu had succeeded on bringing Sakura to us, we could mold her for our purposes and help us fully restore magic to the outside world so it may sustain us outside Gensokyo once more.-_calmly explained Yukari.

_It seems you also forgot about the part where Sakura has a cute boyfriend with a big sword, able to use powerful magic himself and willing to lay down his life for her. I wonder if my Youmu would enjoy playing around with him...-_added Yuyuko, holding an open pink fan over her smiling mouth.

_The Li family descendant... I didn't expect him to be an issue I admit. He was supposed to be no more than a warm-up for Reimu since he had no cards of his own...-_Mused Yukari.

_Allow me to point out that the Li warrior sorcerers_ _ clan choose him to help Sakura deal with the Clow Card issue. Alone. He should not be underestimated.-_Added Yuyuko. She heard quite a bit of tales from the ghosts that frequently arrived from the outside world.

_And why didn't you said so earlier? I would've sent my shrine maiden to support Reimu if I knew that was the case!_-Asked Kanako, clearly angry.

_Yukari didn't ask me before._-was all that the ghost woman replied in a mischievous tone.

_This isn't getting us anywhere. It was a mistake to send an human to do a youkai's job. We should send our own servants next..._-started to say Yuuka.

_Fellow ladies, if I may interrupt, I believe we're approaching this the wrong way. Violence is not the answer. Sakura's young, still learning the ways of life. Reimu simply could not understand a young magical maiden's heart. That poor girl saw violence and answered with violence. What Sakura needs is somebody to guide her towards the light of salvation. I can bring her to our side without need of any more conflict._-Said Byakuren, who had been sitting in silence until now.

_You're willing to go out there by yourself already? Reimu was an human, but a powerful youkai like you risks fading to nothingness if they exit the border._-asked Kanako.

_The world is still filled with the light of Dharma. _- calmly replied the buddhist youkai.

_Ah, I forgot you draw power from other youkai. There's indeed still lingering sources of mystic energy in the outside world that your servants can harness to sustain you out there. Yes, you may be the best of us to act next. I will prepare a gap for your forces to pass.-_told Yukari

_I will start my preparations. Soon, Sakura Kinomoto shall know the holy light of Dharma._ -smiled Byakuren.

* * *

Reviews replies!

**sandrake111: **I had replied to you first on PM, but as for your other question, well, CLAMP never gave us an exact age for Clow Reed, but we know that he lived for centuries.

**palver7: **Thanks! "Yukari did it" and "Violent Reimu" may indeed seem a bit cliche for the start, but Touhou has many, many facets and I had to pick something to begin with. :) **  
**

**Curtis Wildcat:** In my head, italics simply make more sense for dialogue bits. :P

**Guest: **Yes, Meiling will eventually meet Meiling. But there's a lot of other youkai the CCS group will have to meet before that.


	6. Chapter 6

_Li's house in Tomoeda, next morning._

Reimu had an annoyed look on her face as she asked:

_Hey, what's the meaning of this? Weren't we just supposed to go for a walk? You're trying to steal my job now?_

_If we all dress like this, it will be less suspicious. People will just think we're doing group cosplay!_-explained Tomoyo, dressed as a shrine maiden as well, setting up her camera.

_Hmm, those are surprisingly comfy to move with..._-said Meiling, checking her own new shrine maiden robes.

_And how did I let you convince me to wear this as well?_-Asked Syaoran with a frown on his face, not only dressed with shrine maiden robes but also wearing a long blond wig as well, reaching all the way down to his waist.

_You look really cute, Syaoran-kun! It suits you surprisingly well!_-cheerfully said Sakura with a completely innocent voice, storing her cards inside her new detached sleeves.

_Yeah, Sakura's right, you can surely can pass off as a girl, boy!_-sneered Reimu.

Sakura then hugged Syaoran and exclaimed:

_Boy or girl, I love Syaoran-kun the most either way!-_and then she gave him a kiss on the lips before stepping away, smiling to herself. The cross-dressed boy blushed heavily.

_Ugh, if word reaches Gensokyo that I got defeated by somebody like you, I'll be the laughing stock of the youkai for days..._-said Reimu, turning her head away from the two young love birds.

_There's no shame on being defeated by Sakura-chan, wonderful shrine maiden of Tomoeda!_-squealed Tomoyo, having started her recordings.-_So, where would you like to go visit first, Reimu?_

_Hey, you're the locals, whatever's fine with me.-_replied the shrine maiden with a shrug.

_To the karaoke then! We can finish our match from the last night there, Reimu!_-stated Meiling.

_Kara what?_-asked Reimu with an incredulous face.

_Oh, you'll love it, I'm sure of it, Reimu-chan!_-smiled Sakura, starting to pull the shrine-maiden's hand towards the door to exit the house. Reimu felt kinda awkward being dragged around by a younger girl, specially one with such a cheerful and kind attitude. She simply wasn't used to be treated like that.

Syaoran walked at her side, and for a moment his and the shrine maiden's crossed when nobody else was looking. Reimu saw a cold look of determination on the boy's eyes, the look of someone ready to fight her all-out should she ever stand against him again. The shrine maiden smirked. She clearly wouldn't get bored in this place.

* * *

_Gensokyo_

The Myouren Temple was a majestic wooden structure, home to Byakuren Hijiri and her youkai followers. Many other youkai passed trough it to check the so-called youkai saint and listen to her buddhist teachings, but rarely did they stick around much time, due to their fickle nature. But today more than usual were gathering around, for the head priestess of the temple, the great Byakuren, had been reciting her holy sutras with exceptional devotion for twelve hour straight, atracting the attention of many youkais in the surrounding.

* * *

_Five days later, on the training room of the Li's house in Tomoeda  
_

A young shrine maiden dueled a younger chinese girl in elaborate martial art clothes. Neither side used magic, just their own naked limbs and sharp red needles.

_Faster! Harder! Don't think, just follow your own instinct!_-shouted Reimu, sending a flurry of needles from inside her sleeves towards her opponent.

_Ka!_-shouted Meiling, jumping over the path of the incoming projectiles and pulling two stacks of needles from her own sleeves, throwing them against her opponent below.

Reimu jumped back, finding herself trapped against one of the corners of the room, and as Meiling landed in front of her, the shrine maiden rised her left leg to deliver a high kick against her opponent. Meiling rised her own left leg on an equal movement to counter Reimu's attack.

The girl's limbs clashed, sending a shockwave across the room that made the training devices inside tremble, and Reimu was the one forced to step back, reeling from the impact. She hit her back against the wall, finding herself with no more space to move. Meiling lunged forward in a flash, pulling one more needle from inside her sleeve and pressing it against Reimu's neck.

_I win! Again!_-grinned Meiling. Then suddenly the pinned "Reimu" exploded in a shower of ofudas, startling Meiling, before she felt a powerful kick on her flank.

_Don't get too cocky, kid. You may've surpassed me in pure martial arts, but your opponents will have a variety of magic or other supernatural abilities to their advantage. You cannot hesitate in a duel. You don't stop attacking until your opponent is on the ground begging for mercy!_

_Ouch... Yes, sensei Reimu..._

The shrine maiden smiled and helped Meiling get back up. Meiling had started calling her sensei out of her initiative, and that was but one of the several perks Reimu had started to enjoy after her defeat a few days earlier. Her days were now spent traveling trough Tomoeda with Sakura, Syaoran and Meiling as guides (and Tomoyo recording everything), experimenting the wonders of the modern world like parfaits, movies, arcade houses, and karaoke, as well as sparring sessions with the chinese girl. There was even a big shinto shrine in the city, and Reimu had explained to Meiling how she could make her own exorcising needles with wood taken from the local holy tree. And how to hide multiple stacks of them inside loose sleeves.

No youkais lurking around every corner, and no need to worry about wherever her next meal would come from. She wasn't allowed to fly or use spellcards, yes, but the streets were safe and filled with interesting things, and there weren't other beings jumping out of nowhere to challenge her to duels. And Meiling had proved herself a worthy sparring partner last night, so not like she lacked a willing opponent if she felt like fighting. Reimu felt like she could get used to this kind of life style. She really could. Still, the shrine maiden wondered how things were back at her land.

* * *

_Myouren Temple_

There were many more youkai today, and much more focused on the buddhist sutras being recited by Byakuren nonstop at the temple's entrance, so everybody could hear it. She smiled with self pride. The results of her days of continuous preaching were finally showing. Then she paused for a moment, breathing deeply.

_It is time. Prepare our transport. Tell Yukari to start opening the border. Leave a chorus behind to maintain the seal.  
_

_At once, great one!_-answered four humanoid kneeling Youkais shrounded in shadow behind her, before they stood up and left towards different directions..

After a few moments, the temple started floating upwards towards the sky and away from its foundations, while simultaneously morphing and changing shape into a new, longer form. The youkai who had been listening to the sutras took flight and flocked to it. Nobody noticed a small object falling from an open window on its side and carried away by the wind.

* * *

_The next day_

A young woman floated over Tomoeda, holding a massive open parasol. She took care to keep herself directly under the bright summer sun, making sure anybody looking from below would be unable to see anything else besides a black spot that they may consider an optic illusion. The floating woman in turn had a nice view of the humans walking on the streets below her. Eventually she spotted what she was looking for: a girl with red-white shrine maiden robes, accompanied by a red-haired girl, a kid with long blue hair, and a chestnut-haired boy. The youkai smiled and pulled a card from inside her clothes.

_**Rain Sign "A Rainy Night's Ghost Story" **_

Out of nowhere, black clouds filled the sky, blocking the sun, and a terrifying downpour started.

* * *

Sakura, Reimu, Meiling, Syaoran and Tomoyo were caught completely by surpise by the sudden rain. They started running in search of cover when suddenly they saw a large, purple umbrella laying on the floor. It looked big enough to protect all of them from the rain, but they all felt a strange sensation looking at it. After some moments of standing under the rain, Sakura was the one who stepped forward and said:

_We can't just leave this here..._

The card mistress slowly approached the strange fallen object, picked it up, and stared at it with intensity.

Then Sakura threw it on a nearby trash can.

_There, people shouldn't leave garbage on the middle of the street!_-claimed the red-haired girl with her voice filled with the pride of having done a good action.

_Was I the only one who felt something unusual about that?_-asked Syaoran.

_Of course you felt something unusual, that's the ugliest umbrella I've ever seen. I'll rather get soaked from the rain than letting someone else catch me using that!_-said Meiling.

_Sakura-chan's so cute when she's doing her civic duty!_-squealed Tomoyo, recording everything.

_Hey young miss, it's rude to throw away perfectly fine tools!_-came a female voice from the trash can.

Sakura turned around. The purple umbrella now had a large eye in the middle of it. Then a mouth opened in the middle of it and out came a long red tongue that licked her face while shouting:

_BOO!_

_G-GHOST! KKYYYAAAA!_-Sakura jumped back screaming in terror and ran behind the rest of her group.

_Sakura-chan, honestly, do you think a ghost would be solid? Besides, you're the card mistress. Even if it was an actual ghost, you should be able to deal with them no problem, geez._-pointed out Syaoran with a disappointed face.

_Ghosts are scary... But then, what are you?_-asked Sakura, swiftly recovering her composure and approaching the talking object again.

The umbrella started floating upwards, then opened by itself, and from its interior fell a young woman with short turquoise hair, one turquoise eye and one red eye. She wore a blue-green vest with white sleeves and a light blue skirt. She was sticking her tongue out while grinning.

_I'm Kogasa Tatara, the Cheery Forgotten Umbrella! I'm just a cheerful youkai who lives to surprise people. _

_Ah, nice to meet you. You sure surprised me!_-answered Sakura, making a polite smile and bowing to the youkai.

_Oh my gosh you're sooo ccuuutteee! Even your surprised face was extra cute! I knew I was right in leaving Gensokyo to search for you!_-squealed Kogasa jumping out of the trash can and landing near the card mistress.

_Sakura-chan's the cutest one there is!_-agreed Tomoyo from the back, still recording everything.

_Reimu, you know this Kogasa? Is she dangerous?_-asked Syaoran, pulling an handful of jufu talismans from inside his robes as precaution. He didn't feel any ill intent from this new arrival, but he preferred to play safe.

_Meh, she's just some random small fry wandering youkai. Mostly annoying, doesn't even eats people, she earns her sustenance from their surprise. Not even that admired to see her here either since she was a city-born youkai in the first place. Aka not my problem right now. This is your turf anyway._

_I feel like she just wants to play with us, isn't that right, Kogasa-chan?_-asked Sakura to the youkai.

_Actually, I was kinda expecting you could capture me. You see, I was born out of the angst of being an abandoned umbrella. Nothing would make me happier than having a new owner that would put me to good use!_

Sakura started backing away slowly from the youkai before replying with a nervous smile:

_Ah, well, Kogasa-chan, I kinda can only capture cards... Besides, no offense, but even if I could turn you in a Sakura card, I'm not sure I would want to ever use any that looks like you, so you kinda would be left idle... But I'm certain there's a special one waiting for you somewhere! You'll just have to keep looking for them!_

The youkai threw herself on the ground, laying a bunch of spellcards at Sakura's feet, each one of them with the ridiculous purple umbrella as its center motif, before starting to beg with tears on her eyes:

_Pleasepleaseplease capure them, even just two of them would make me happy!_

_Hmmm...Tomoyo-chan, help me here a bit, could you improve Koagasa-chan's looks?-_asked the card mistress, looking at the blue-haired girl for help.

Tomoyo, the genius girl who had created dozens of wonderful designs for her beloved and her boyfriend, able to always catch someone's best side on camera, talented video editor, looked for a moment at the youkai squirming in the wet ground, still holding the umbrella that looked like a giant eggplant with an eye and a tongue, before replying to the card mistress:

_Sakura-chan, you're the magic girl who can perform miracles here. I can't help you with this._

_Please, Kogasa-chan, let's just be friends, alright?-_said Sakura with a warm smile to the animated umbrella.

The youkai stopped squirming and stood up, glaring at Sakura while cleaning up her tears:

_...Just friends? Fine, if you can't understand the feelings of a youkai like me, I ought to mess you up a little! Beware the umbrella left there forever!_

In one swift movement Kogasa pulled a card from her deck and threw it up in the air, striking it with the ferrule of her purple umbrella and chanting:

_I am the tube of my canopy  
Wood and metal are my body, light and and rain are my blood  
I have possessed over a thousand umbrellas  
Lost in storms, or abandoned by their owners  
Have withstood pain to recover many umbrellas  
Yet, those parasols will never be holded by anything.  
So as I pray, unlimited umbrellas works. _

_**[Umbrella Sign] "Flurry Traveler" !**_

Suddenly, hundreds of open umbrellas, of the most varied colors and designs, materialized in the sky above them and started quickly falling towards Sakura.

_Hhhooeeee..._-was all that the card mistress could do at first as she saw the ridiculous attack coming towards her.

Sakura however quickly recovered from the surprise effect and reached for the star key on her neck, when suddenly a series of jufus flew upwards, intercepting the umbrellas directly above her and making them burst in flames, swiftly reducing them to ashes in mid-air.

_**KAAAAA!**_

The card mistress then saw Syaoran leap towards Kogasa, just after having throw his jufus, and deliver a flying kick directly to the youkai's face, sending her crashing against the building behind. The umbrellas still on the air started vanishing.

_Let's get this over quickly, Sakura-chan!_

_Yes!_-answered the card mistress, pulling her star key and starting to chant:

_**O Key that conceals the power of my star, reveal your true nature to me, by my power I command you! Release! **_

Sakura grabbed her unsealed staff floating in front of her, spinning it around a bit before pointing it upwards:

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Kogasa card!**_

The leftover umbrella energy flew towards the tip of Sakura's wands before coalescing in a new card, that flew towards Syaoran's hand, that looked at it for a moment with a frown on his face before tucking it away inside his clothes, not intending to use it ever again.

Kogasa stood up and floated upwards, throwing a new spellcard into the air.

_I'll take the next one!_-declared Sakura, holding her wand with both hands. Syaoran nodded and jumped backwards to her side, summoning his sword and holding a defensive stance.

_**Umbrella Sign "Parasol Star Memories"**_-Kogasa started spinning her umbrella over itself, and it started glowing with an intense purple light, before starting to shoot out a slow stream of mystic bullets in a spiral pattern along some more umbrellas in an erratic pattern.

Syaoran prepared to deflect the incoming attacks with her sword, but Sakura swiftly picked and threw one of her cards in front of her:

_**RAIN! RELEASE!**_

A small blue jester girl holding a rain drop sitting on a small pink cloud appeared and flew over Kogasa, dodging the bullets and flying umbrellas, before starting to clap her hands merrily. A waterfall-like downpour instantly started to fall over the purple spinning glowing umbrella, overwhelming it and making her drop and crash on the street below. Sakura dismissed her card and sprinted forward, swinging down the star wand over her fallen opponent:

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Kogasa card!**_

As the umbrella card was captured, Sakura kept holding her wand over it and kept chanting:

_**Card originally created by Kogasa. Abandon your old form and reincarnate, under the name of your new master Sakura! **_

The captured card started to spin wildly and glowing, and suddenly transformed, gaining a slightly different appearance, now a series of pink shades with the umbrella's eye replaced by a girly red heart, a star pattern at the back.

Kogasa then stood up, completely soaked, bruised face and both her clothes and umbrella in tatters.

_*sniff* *sob*I...I, an umbrella, lost against rain? What's even my purpose on life then?Y-you meanie! I'm leaving this place! WWAAAAA!_-And with this Kogasa quickly floated away, disappearing into the rain. A few moments later, the rain stopped and the skies cleared as suddenly as they had become darkened.

_The Rain?-_asked Meiling with an incredulous face._ Wow, I didn't even knew you had that card. Why did Clow even create it? Don't you already have The Watery and The Cloud? At least it looks like it was finally useful for something..._

_Clow Reed had a twisted sensor of humor... Anyway that some great thinking, Sakura, humiliating the youkai in her own field to make her leave right away!_-congratulated Syaoran.

_Thank you Syaoran-kun, but I was just trying to calm her down... Also I was hoping that when I transformed her card that it would end up looking better, but instead it 's now like this..._-said Sakura with a defeated smile as she showed the new card to everybody else. Indeed the ridiculous contrast between the purple umbrella and all the pink around seemed like something out of a little girl's dream after a sugar rush.

_Don't worry Sakura-chan, I'll edit this part of the video to make your newest card look wonderful!_-said Tomoyo with an encouraging smile.

_So, why didn't you try to battle that youkai, Meiling? She could have make a good practical training opportunity for the techniques you've been learning from me._-asked Reimu to the chinese girl.

_Meh, that umbrella just looked so pitiful I wasn't in the mood. Sakura and Syaoran looked more than capable of dealing with her, no need for my help.-_replied Meiling with a faint smile.

_However, don't you think it is weird that this Kogasa youkai from Gensyoko knew about Sakura-chan?_-asked Syaoran, his face changing to a serious expression.

_Hmm, now that you mention it, that was a bit suspicious... I would be careful if I was you. Whatever winds carry Kogasa around are rarely good news._-commented Reimu.

_As long as I'm with Syaoran-kun, there's no challenge we can't overcome!_-let out Sakura, stepping to her boyfriend's side with her arms behind her back, smiling and staring at him on the eyes.-_Right, Syaoran-kun?_

_Ah, yes... But let's be on guard anyway._-blurted out Syaoran, blushing a bit, before his face turned serious again and he looked back at Reimu-_You're supposed to be the shrine maiden responsible for the Hakurei Border, are you not? Perhaps the barrier separating Gensokyo from our world are weakening because of your absence. Shouldn't you head back?_

_Ah, don't worry about that. That thing can hold out at least for six months without any maintenance on my part (I know that because I once slacked off on it for six months). There's only one other being on Gensokyo that could possibly weaken it directly, and she's the one with least reasons to do so. Sometimes minor youkais like Kogasa slip away trough the cracks, but the big shots can't openly manifest their presences in this world anymore. And no way I'm cutting this paid vacations short. Well, let's get going, I could use a bite._-calmly replied the shrine maiden, starting to walk towards the next street.

* * *

_Above the skies of Tomoeda, some hours later._

A massive purple gap opened in the sky. From it slowly came out a massive, flying wooden ship, with white sails filled with sutras. Both its deck and the air surrounding it was filled with a variety of youkai, most with their heads covered with monk hoods, chanting together:

**Hail to the Buddha Amida!**

Sitting on top of the main mast of the ship in a lotus position, Byakuren smiled upon her followers, picking a closed scroll from inside her clothes and unfurling it on the air over her head. Instead of paper and ink, it was composed of floating glowing characters of different colors that seemingly just hovered in mid-air, forming an intricate rainbow pattern from one end of the magic scroll to the other.

_What is our motto?-_she asked_  
_

**Those who advance are sure of salvation, but those who retreat will go to hell!-**chanted the youkai as one, filled with divine fervor.

_Yes, there's no more turning back for us. We can only go forward from now on._-said Byakuren as the flying ship ended exiting the dimensional gap, and it closed behind them.

**Hail to the Lotus of the Divine Law!**-chanted the youkai again.

_O Dharma, please show us the path to enlightment!-_started Byakuren_- **[Good Omen] Nirvana's Cloudy Way in Purple"**_

Out of Byakuren's glowing scroll spread out a thick purple mist, that soon clouded not only the skies and the very sun, but fell all over the city of Tomoeda, hiding everything but the tallest buildings from view.


	7. Chapter 7

Tomoyo Daidouji could see the purple sun setting down under a purple sky trough the restaurant's window. She was a 24 year old world-renowed fashion designer and movie producer, currently having dinner in one the most exclusive restaurants in Paris with her principal model and actress, 24 year old Sakura Kinomoto. The red-haired woman was the one who had invited Tomoyo, claiming they had something important to discuss. She looked splendorous as ever, dressed in one of the many dresses Tomoyo had hand-made specifically for her. Sakura had received countless marriage proposals from rich, young and powerful men, and declined them all down claiming there was already a special one on her heart, altough who this person was Sakura never revealed. She and Tomoyo leisurely talked about their past, present, and future while enjoying the finest food and wine money and influence could buy. Suddenly Sakura extended her hand holding small black box towards the blue-haired woman.

_For me...?_-asked Tomoyo, incredulous.

Sakura slowly opened the box, revealing a platinum ring filled with finely cut purple jewels.

_Tomoyo-chan, I love you. From the bottom of my heart and soul. Will you marry me? Shall we spend our lives together?_-asked the young red-haired woman with a sweet and sincere smile.

Tomoyo had no words. Everything was perfect. She felt in paradise.

* * *

Li Meiling was meditating under a purple moon partially hidden by purple clouds. She was a martial arts master with multiple black belts at 24 years old. She had brought great honor to the Li Clan, both in public winning tournaments and in private defeating all kind of evildoers with her powerful fists. Meiling's honed senses then revealed somebody was approaching. As she opened her eyes she saw Li Syaoran, the youngest head of the Li Clan at 24 years old, a powerful warrior-sorcerer that had trained and fought by her side almost their whole lives. None could stand before them when they worked together. Countless beautiful and talented women usually flocked around him trying to seduce the young, strong and rich man, but Syaraon remained coldly distant, repealing all of their shows of affection, claiming there was only one woman who he would accept as his. Tonight he looked at his cousin with specially warm eyes. He knelt before her before extending his arms holding an object wrapped up in a yellow silk cloth.

_For me...?_-asked Meiling, incredulous.

Syaoran unfurled the silk wrapping and inside was a fan. His mother's fan. The fan meant for the wife of the head of the Li Clan.

_I've succeeded to get the blessings of the clan elders to marry you. None remain that would oppose our union. Will you accept me as your husband?_-asked Syaoran with a serious but calm face.

Meiling had no words. Everything was perfect. She felt in paradise.

* * *

_What's wrong with them, Syaoran-kun?_-asked 12 year old Sakura, dressed in a new cute black nun custome with red strips at the edges and thick black gloves and boots.

_It's this purple mist. It seems to be making those that doesn't have magic powers hallucinate._-answered 12 year old Syaoran, with a matching black priest custome with red strips as well. Tomoyo seemed to had gone in a religious mood for her latest design.

In front of them the two girls of the same age Tomoyo and Meiling, had their eyes open, but just stood there with an empty gaze on their faces as a bit of drool rolled down from their smiling mouths as if daydreaming. Trough the room's window, they could see the strange purple mist that had covered most of Tomoeda not long ago. Once they had seen this strange event start, they had rallied at Syaoran's house for preparations, but soon enough Tomoyo and Meiling had fallen into that strange stupor no sooner Sakura and Syaoran had finished changing into their new customes. The boy's Rashinban board had failed to get any clear reading either. Yue and Keroberos were keeping vigilant on the ceiling of the house, after having scouted the surrounding area by air and confirming that any people on the streets seemed to be hallucinating as well. Reimu had been standing still staring at it trough some minutes without saying a word, but the look on her eyes was sharp, indicating she was concentrating on something.

_You know what is happening, Reimu?_-asked Syaoran, after trying and failing to wake up Tomoyo and Meiling by shaking them a bit and pinching their pulses.

_I have my suspicions. But no time to explain them, specially when I can't confirm it._-was all that the shrine maiden replied.

_Can't you do anything about Tomoyo-chan and Meiling-chan's condition?_-asked Sakura with worry on her eyes.

_They should just be having a happy dream right now. I could give them some of my protection amulets, but it would only diminish the hallucination. They may be able to talk back at you and move around, but they'll be useless in a fight and just slow us down. I say it's better to leave them like this until we solve the source of this incident._-replied the shrine maiden in an emotionless tone.

_Please, Reimu-chan, do whatever you can to help them! It is wrong to just leave them like this!-_begged Sakura, holding Reimu's hands, but the shrine maiden seemed unfazed.

_How about we offer you a donation?_-asked Syaoran, presenting Reimu with a stack of big bills from his pocket.

_Tsk, fine. You'll be the one who'll have to keep watch over them though._-said Reimu as she snatched the money from Syaoran's hands before pulling two paper amulets from inside her robes, swiftly placing one each on Tomoyo and Meiling's chest. Both girls started blinking.

_Oh, Sakura-chan... The marriage ceremony... What just happened..._-Tomoyo's eyes started to move around, filled with clear confusion.

_Ah...Yes... No..._-Meiling similarly acted as if she had just awoken from a strange dream.

_A strange mist has fallen over Tomoeda. It seems to be leaving non-magic people in an hallucinogenic stupor. Reimu gave you some amulets that should lessen, the effects but don't try any rash actions or you may be overwhelmed again. That goes double for you, Meiling. _-explained Syaoran.

_Don't worry, I'll just hang back and record Sakura-chan as always..._-Tomoyo was already preparing her camera altough she visibly struggled with even those simple movements.

_Heh, like I would let you two hog up all the fun...Hey, don't you hear anything strange? A chittering, coming from there...?-_suddenly asked Meiling, turning her head towards the source of the sound she had just heard.

Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo and Reimu turned their own heads to where the chinese girl had looked, and saw a tiny grey mouse scurrying across the floor.

_Aww, it's so adorable!-_smiled Sakura at the sight of the animal that stopped to raise its head in direction of the humans, seemingly looking back at them with its tiny black eyes.

_That's no normal mouse!_-warned Reimu, and more similar critters started appearing from under the furniture of the room. A dozen, a hundred, a thousand, soon they were covering the floor and climbing over the walls, surrounding the humans!

Sakura swiftly retrieved the key from her neck and chanted:

_**O Key that conceals the power of my star, reveal your true nature to me, by my power I command you! Release! **_

Star wand in hand, the card mistress's mind raced to find a way to deal with this new enemy. They were trapped inside a small space. Any area attack card would risk hurting her companions. Single targets wouldn't do much against such a numerous enemy either. A solution crossed her mind before a second had passed, and she drew a card while enveloping her arms around the nearby Syaoran, Meiling and Tomoyo:

_Hold into me! **TROUGH! RELEASE!**_

Sakura jumped over the incoming rats and passed trough the wall of the room, dragging the ones she had holded, landing on the street outside. A moment later Reimu popped up above them, hovering in mid air with an annoyed expression on her face:

_Oi, you were leaving me behind to become rat food?_

_I knew you wouldn't need my help because you could teleport, Reimu-chan!_

_Oh, looks like you do have a brain behind that pretty face after all. Anyway take a look around you, there's more of those mouses coming from everywhere!_

Indeed several grey swarms of mouses were appearing out from the surrounding purple mist and circling the group again.

_Sakura-chan, they're many but they can't fly! Take to the air and you'll have better chances of dealing with them! I'll watch over Meiling-chan and Tomoyo-chan on the ground!_-said Syaoran, summoning forth his sword and drawing a bundle of jufus.

_No, we're not getting separated again! We just need something to clear this situation... I know! **LIGHT! RELEASE!**_

A tall regal woman with pale skin and long white flowing hair that falls over her shoulders and down her back, with curled side pieces framing her face appeared above Sakura. She wore a dress with a collar that stick up. The sleeves were puffy and embroiled with an elaborate symbol on each shoulder and ended prematurely, revealing her shoulders along with parts of her chest. Upon her chest was an image of a sun. The points of her crown curved only slightly, outward, and the front most projection on the crown wasstraight up. She appeared, elegant, dignified and majestic, clutching a cloud in one hand and a sun in the other, that she rised toward the skies, sensing her mistress's wishes to push away the incoming mouses and banish the mysterious mist.

Tomoeda was illuminated for a moment, and the mouses all run scurried away for whatever holes they could find, but the purple mist, as if devouring Sakura's light, soon covered the city again.

Something else was revealed as well. A massive, shining wooden boat with sails hovering high above the city, surrounded by a myriad of youkai flying in formation around it.

_As I suspected... That's a very dangerous enemy there. Unseal my cards now, or I'll free them mysel_f-demanded Reimu, extending her deck covered in jufus to Syaoran, while her eyes stared at the boat above.

_Do you know what they are?_-Syaoran sliced off the seals he had placed on Reimu's cards. He already had suspected his jufus couldn't really hold back the magic of the last descendant of the Hakurei clan for long, for they were renowed for their exceptional talent with making seals-and unmaking them. It had however worked as a proof of trust.

Reimu drew a card from her deck while still looking above:

_A fully fledged Youkai crisis. This is my fight now, not yours. Just go find some place to hide. **[Divine Spirit]"Fantasy Seal-Blink"**_

The Shrine Maiden shot to the skies at lighting speed, leaving behind a trail of after-images. In a moment, she was among the flying youkai, unleashing multiple short barrages of ofudas and needles that filled the air above with red and white explosions. The boat started to raise higher the youkai and Reimu following it, and the purple mist proceeded to cover them.

_We have to go help Reimu-chan! Syaoran-kun, I'll use Float to carry you and..._

_No, wait, Sakura-chan, can't you feel it?_-interrupted Syaoran, holding Sakura's shoulder- _There's a new, stronger magic presence near us now..._

The card mistress stopped a moment to close her eyes and focus. Only then she sensed it, a strange and powerful, almost overwhelming magic presence approaching them...

* * *

_Above the skies of Tomoeda._

Reimu had managed to take down some dozens of youkai with her first assault, but the others had recovered from the initial surprise and seeked to surround her, starting to unleash blue beams and purple spheres of energy back at the shrine maiden. She dodged while launching a barrage of homing amulets. Reimu danced through the air exterminating the youkai, but her biggest worry wasn't her current opponents, but where the leader that had brought them to this world was. Youkai never acted that ogranized unless there was a much stronger one nearby pulling their strings.

_I don't have time to deal with small fry like yourself! Just show me where your boss is already!_-demanded Reimu, but as it almost always had happened in her life, the lesser youkai kept coming at her without words, driven by some stronger, mysterious will.

_In front of the Li's house in Tomoeda._

Two women approached Sakura and her companions from around the street, their faces covered by cowls. One had light purple wavy hair, and dark purple eyes. She carried a medium-sized yellow ring in her right hand. On her head, she wore a headdress similar to a nun's headdress. Over her body she wore a white dress with a blue trim at the bottom, and black shoes on her feet. Her outfit closely resembled that of a Buddhist nun's. The other was taller, but covered her body and face in an old-looking and simple brown robe with a cowl covering most of her head. The nearby young humans could all feel an aura of awe coming from, while the nun with the ring kept her head bowed down as if in respect to her near companion.

_Are you the one who liberated magic in this world?-_asked the taller woman.

Sakura felt a calm, soothing aura from the nun on top of her extremely powerful magic presence, even making her lower her wand to her feet. The card mistress felt like she could safely reveal her true nature to this mysterious person:

_I did liberate the Clow Cards, yes._

The taller woman lowered her cowl, revealing a head covered in long, wavy, light brown hair that fades to purple at the top, with hazel eyes, before she spoke. Her face looked like that of a young woman, but the look on her eyes was that of a venerable person. She smiled warmly as she spoke:

_My name is Byakuren. I was a monk a long, long time ago. Well, perhaps it would be more accurate to say I was a magician?_-the woman pulled a closed scroll from inside her garbs, and unfurled it, revealing the translucent glowing magic writing above her head for everybody to see-_This is my Sorcerer's Sutra Scroll, the compilation of a millennium of my work..._

Out of the ceiling of Syaoran's house a blue energy arrow was released, aimed at Byakuren. Just as it was about to pierce the monk magician's head, a metal anchor dropped from the skies, dissipating the arrow and crashing into the street below, breaking the asphalt A split second later, a woman descended from above and landed at the side of the anchor, carrying a ladle in one hand. She had short, black hair and a teal eye color. Her clothes were as a regular sailor's outfit, with a white shirt and skirt with blue lines. Around her neck she has a red neckerchief and she held a wooden ladle in her right hand. With her free hand, she grabed the fallen anchor as if it weighted nothing and placed it at her back as she spoke with a loud and strong voice:

_I didn't set sail to this world to see Byakuren-sama die! I, captain Minamitsu Murasa, will protect her no matter what!_

As she spoke, a yellow blur of wings, teeth, and claws flew from the ceiling the arrow had been shot from, passing over Murasa, before turning around and leaping towards Byakuren.

Murasa tried to turn around to put herself between the attacker and Byakuren, but she soon realized she wouldn't make it fast enough. But she didn't need to, since instead a new figure jumped from inside the mist ehind Byakuren, a woman with orange-yellow hair with black stripes in it and golden yellow eyes. She wore a lotus-shaped ornament on her head, had a giant cloth circle attached to her back, along a a burgundy/orange/white dress with a tiger pattern around the abdomen along with white, frilly pants under her dress and black shoes on her feet. In her left hand she carried a giant spear, and in her right a jeweled pagoda that shined brightly, releasing forth a series of golden beams that drove back the approaching winged beast.

_I cannot allow you to hurt Byakuren-sama either. We need her in order to break the remaining seals. I, Shou Toramaru, failed to protect her a thousand years ago, but never again!_-said the newcomer, holding her spear and pagoda in a guarding position over the monk magician.

Keroberos let out a short angry growl and Yue flew up from his hiding spot, seemingly preparing to attack again.

_Yue! Kero! Stop that right now! Why did you attack Hijiri-sama without provocation?_-commanded the card mistress, not understanding why her mystic guardians had attacked without provocation.

With clear reluctance, they pulled back to her side.

_Sakura, that's not an human being! It's a youkai, and a very dangerous and powerful one at that! She can resist the very fires of hell, and wouldn't die even if we crushed her whole body, like a Clow Card!-_claimed Keroberos.

_Clow Reed himself sealed her a thousand years ago, but it seems like she just became stronger since then. That scrolls of her radiates extreme dark power...-_added Yue, setting up another of arrow in his energy bow.

_I don't care, she just wants to talk and I still didn't see her do anything wrong! Stand down, NOW!_-ordered Sakura, and her mystic guardians couldn't help but obey and dropped their attacks stances.

_I'm glad you seem to understand me, Sakura. Magic isn't inherently good or evil, it just depends on how it is wielded. After all, didn't Clow Reed's own wand contained the power of darkness?_-continued Byakuren.

_You really knew Clow Reed in person?_-asked a somewhat incredulous Sakura.

_In my time, because I could use strange powers, people hated me, and in the end they called upon Clow Reed's help to seal me. Despite he having strange powers himself. It was humans who decided Clow Reed was someone worthy of admiration, while I was a monster to be hunted down._

_Of course they distrusted you! You gave shelter to dangerous monsters! Drowning spirits! Human eating youkais! You drew power from people's fear and superstition!_-interrupted Yue

_And how is that different from the Clow Cards?_-continued Byakuren with a smile-_ Or do you mean that the Sword didn't try to possess someone to cut you down? The Watery didn't try to drown people? The Fiery didn't try to burn down gatherings of humans? The Maze didn't try to seal you so that you would slowly starve to death? The Nothing didn't go in a rampage of destruction? I was there when Clow Reed first created his cards. I know how fickle and dangerous they can be when left without proper guidance._

_They were just confused! That's why Clow Reed sealed them in card form, so that they wouldn't harm humans! And Sakura managed to exert her control of them when they were unsealed before they actually killed anyone! While she's the card mistress, they're not a danger to normal humans! But you let your youkai run free!_-roared Keroberos.

_I once was a manifestation of the fear the common people had for tigers. I feasted on human flesh, yes, but thanks to Byakuren-sama's guidance, I became a devoted disciple of the god Bishamonten and I've abstained myself from eating meat for centuries.- _proudlydeclared Toramaru.

_I couldn't leave this world after dying a miserable death at sea very long ago, so I drowned countless people to keep me company in the murky depths, yes, but Byakuren-sama gave me a new purpose in death as captain of her holy ship.-_added Murasa.

_I believe that everybody deserves a second chance. Past misdeeds should be forgiven and forgotten when one shows willingness to follow the path of enlightenment. I want to appeal for human and youkai equality, and bring peace to the world. I'll save the oppressed youkai that are sealed or forced to hide behind the border. That is my chosen calling as a magician. Will you support me in that?_-asked Byakuren, widening her smile even more.

_...I'm sure Kero would like not having to pretend to be a plushie half the time, or Yue to don't have to hide his true form... But Magic beings are too dangerous to be left unchecked! Almost every Clow Card rised big trouble at some point, even Kero whenever I take my eyes out of him. Tomoeda would be a complete mess if I hadn't captured them all. A lot of innocent people would've been hurt or worst...-_was Sakura's reply.

_Yet you're now yourself a magician. You wield the cards at your leisure. Tell me, has the world become a place where it's okay to use magic? Do the people of this city know how many times you saved them? Or are you constantly forced to hide your true nature from all normal humans but those who you trust more? _

_Sakura-chan doesn't need magic to be admired by others! She's a wonderful girl even when not using her cards! _-this time it was Tomoyo replying first.

_It's precisely because Sakura-chan can exert great self-control that she was chosen as the new card Mistress. She proved again and again she wouldn't misuse the cards out of her own whims._-added Keroberos.

_That's the kind of world Clow Reed worked for according to the Li Clan records_-continued Syaoran- _The world was dominated by fickle youkai and magicians who became corrupted by their own magic. Normal humans just couldn't resist and were victims to the whims of those with great mystic powers. Clow sealed many dangerous magic beings during his life time so that they wouldn't control humanity's fate anymore. The Li Clan itself supported him and swore to work from the shadows to protect humans from any lingering magic threats that may crop up. And then Clow left this world, trusting us to continue his work, sealing his own greatest legacy to be released again only by the one he predicted would be able to control and wield it for only the right purposes. No, not just that, to actually give a new form and life to the Clow Cards, being reborn as Sakura cards. While you, Hijiri, refused to die and just kept living to expand your old power._

_Interesting...-_said Byakuren, keeping up her smile-_ But what I want to hear is Sakura's answer. Why should you choose to be oppressed by the normal humans? Why be forced to keep secret one of your greatest aspects? _

_Hijiri-sama... I don't really mind having to keep my magic a secret. As long as I can use it to help those I care about, I don't need them to know how I did it. Even if it's troublesome keeping it a secret most of the time, it's part of the responsibility of being a magical girl!_-was Sakura's answer.

_I see... I've already given up my humanity. I suppose it's pointless for a non-human like me to appeal for equality. _

_Please understand, Hijiri-sama. Most humans are weaker than you, so they need more protection! Saying those with magic and those without it are equal doesn't make it true! This purple mist is your doing, isn't it? I can feel it. You need to stop it now!_

The youkai magician was still smiling, but as she replied, she started to slowly float upwards, followed closely by Murasa and Toramaru remaining at her side. Byakuren then started to let out an overwhelming menacing aura as she replied:

_Humans indeed haven't changed at all since my days in the temple. How weak and rash, always needing protection! How foolish and self-centered, always prioritizing their own over all others! What a narrow-minded superficial, greedy, and unjust boor you are! How self-righteous, you're an evil drag on us all! Now, namusan! In the name of the Three Treasures-__**[Magic] "Mystic Fragrance of a Makai Butterfly" **__! _

From Byakuren's scroll a swarm of thousands of eery blue butterflies spread out. A second later, white beams shot from the scroll aimed at Sakura and her companions.

_**SHIELD! RELEASE!**_-upon her chant, the card mistress formed a protective dome to block the incoming attack as the street exploded around them-_Syaoran-kun, Yue, Kero, I feel like we need to beat Hijiri-sama to stop this mist. Please help me subdue that!_

_I-I can help too..._-Meiling struggled to form her words, still afflicted by the surrounding purple mist. At her side Tomo had knelt on the ground, unable to stand anymore, although she still held up her camera recording everything.

_Just stay inside the Shield with Tomoyo, Meiling. You're in no condition to fight_-said Syaoran to his cousin-_Sakura-chan, go for Hijiri's scroll! It's clearly the main source of her magic, and you may be able to seal it all in one go with your wand! I'll provide a distraction!_

Syaoran ran outside Sakura's Shield, dodging the searing lasers and mystic butterflies coming from above, before pulling a jufu from inside his clothes and placing it over his sword, aiming it upwards:

_**Obey the command! Petals of wind, Come Forth!**_

Syaoran's magic unleashed a powerful air current that pushed away several of Byakuren's eery butterlfies, opening a clear path towards her position now high in the sky.

_**FLY! RELEASE!**_-Sakura spread out her wings wide and launched herself upwards, swiftly flying trough the gap created by Syaoran, followed by her two mystic guardians.

Murasa started flying downwards in direction of the card mistress, retrieving the anchor from her back while pulling a card from her sailor shirt, and placing it over the anchor:

_Why can't you just understand Byakuren-sama's goodness? Drown in your own delusions! _

_**[Capsize] "Sinking Anchor"! **_

Murasa's anchor suddenly grew to an huge size, three times as tall as the wielder, yet she swinged it around her body with apparent ease, circling around herself before throwing it at high speed at the ascending Sakura. A wave of sea-blue energy rippled trough the path the anchor formed.

_Sakura, keep going for Hijiri, I'll deal with Murasa!_-Yue flew in front of her Mistress and rised a translucent barrier to deflect the incoming giant anchor, before swinging his hand to unleash a flurry of flying crystals upon Murasa, forcing her out of the way.

_Yue, be careful!_-warned as she kept flying upwards with Keroberos. She didn't like others getting hurt because of her, but now she had to fully focus on evading the descending white lasers and the swarm of purple butterlflies closing in around her.

Toramaru started to float down next, pulling a card from inside her robes with the fingers of the hand helding her spear and placing it over her pagoda:

_We can't let you take Byakuren-sama's treasure and use it for some fiendish purpose. I didn't want to do this, but I have no choice. The light of this jewelled pagoda of Bishamonten will cleanse the evil from your hearts! _

_**[Jeweled Pagoda] "Radiant Treasure Gun" **_

Multiple giant blue lasers shot from the golden relic, enveloping Sakura, so Keroberos flew in front of the card mistress and shielded her with his wings, taking the brunt of the new attack until it subsided, upon which he opened his jaws and breathed forth a stream of fire over Toramaru.

_I'll keep this one busy! You're almost there, Sakura!_-roared Keroberos as he started flying towards the tiger-patterned youkai, keeping her enveloped in flames.

Byakuren smiled and more eery purple butterflies came out from her scroll, forming a massive swarm around her.

_**THUNDER! RELEASE!**_-Sakura activated another card as she ascended, six giant lighting bolts descending from the sky around Byakuren and burning away most of the butterflies surrounding her.

_I'll end this now!_-shouted Sakura, just a few meters away from Byakuren, rising her staff in preparation. She could now see her opponent was still smiling back at her as the youkai magician held her glowing scroll upwards, not doing any attempt to dodge as Sakura brought down her staff upon it, the star on the middle starting to glow in reaction to the strong magic artifact.

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Byakuren ca-**_

_**Iron Fist "An Unarguable Youkai Punch"!**_

Sakura managed to fly back at the last second as an open fist the size of a small building seemingly formed by pink clouds flew upwards through the position where she had been moments ago, almost snatching the card mistress, but still successfully interrupting her capturing process. Looking down at where the attack had came from, Sakura saw the smaller nun that had silently followed Byakuren start to float upwards as well, suddenly surrounded by a shifting pink mist.

_I'm Ichirin Kumoi, and I'm the one who guards my sister's treasures! I won't let any thieves approach her alive!_-declared the smaller nun, rising her held ring, and with her movement another massive fist made of clouds formed at her side.

* * *

_Somewhere else in the skies above Tomoeda._

Reimu Hakurei had managed to break inside the flying ship, where she met even more lesser youkai waiting for her. With amulet and needle in hands she exterminated her way trough them, feeling a stronger presence further inside the magic vessel, but unable to pinpoint it. Where was the local boss?

* * *

(Reviews Replies:

sanddrake111: thanks for keeping up with your reviews! As for 1), well, first Sakura has to actually defeat the cards, second her magic energy is limited so having more cards doesn't directly translate into more power since there's only so many she can use each day. About 2), I admit that Byakuren does prefer to try to talk things out first, but when negotiations fail, she's more than willing to resort to violence. In particulary in her boss dialogues in UFO against Marisa A, where Byakuren basically goes "If you're standing with the humans, then you're standing against me". Marisa didn't even threaten her in that route or anything, but Byakuren still lays down the hurt against her.

Apologetic guy: First, thanks for the honest critique from your part. And yes my english isn't perfect, actually one of the reasons I'm writing this is to exercise my english writing skills. Now to adress your points:

1-Reimu does mind being poor. A lot. And she can and often acts as a jerk. Even in one of the endings of the first Touhou game_ Reimu wished for money_, a cake, a hot meal, "the truth of the Universe", and the **_"destruction of Earth"._ **She's always complaining she doesn't get donations, she goes out of her way to plunder a Youkai village in the 2nd stage of PCB just because it had valuables, and in UFO her routes are either "Must loot flying treasure ship!" or "Must exterminate all youkai!". In the manga she's always trying to come up with schemes to get some extra money. The only reason she isn't ganked and killed is because she's a key part of the Great Barrier, so if she dies for good, everything in Gensokyo goes down with her.

2-Yuuka in PoFV isn't that nice of a person either, to the point even Cirno is scared of her. Also, sadistic Yuuka is kinda of a classic.

3-Hmm, what's TP again? I'm not sure I understand this point of yours. Anyway at least some other people seem to be enjoying it. I can understand my style not pleasing everybody.

4-A good point. Check chapter 9 that shall be posted up over the next hour.


	8. Chapter 8

_Truly wonderful, Sakura, to be able to use the power of the stars at such a young age! It took me many decades to learn how to unleash it myself!_-congratulated Byakuren as she dismissed her current spell and started to read a new set of characters from her scroll-[_**Light Magic] "Star Maelstrom"! **_

Byakuren was suddely surrounded by a massive red and orange magic circle, from its edge growing four branches of mystic energy in different directions. At the tip of each branch a translucent golden lotus grew until each was bigger than Byakuren, and as they bloomed and their petals opened, each revealed a massive black eye with a red pupil inside them.

Meanwhile golden lights started to fall from the sky, each stretching until it looked like a falling star before starting to spin around Sakura, surrounding her. One grazed closer to her arm and she felt a searing pain trough her battle custome, but they seemed to follow a relatively predictable pattern and Sakura was managing to dodge them to approach Byakuren once more. Then she noticed the lotus eyes following her movements and each starting to shoot a stream of white-blue orbs against her.

* * *

From his position on the ground, Syaoran could see things were turning against them pretty fast. Not only Sakura was pinned down by a new card and this Ichirin monk had revealed powerful powers of her own, but Yue had seen his barrier smashed to pieces by repeated blows from Murasa's oversized anchor and after that the Moon Guardian himself was sent fully hit by the rippling wave of energy unleashed by the drowned spirit's attack. Keroberos had fared a bit better, managing to shrugg off several hits from Toramaru's lasers, but the tiger youkai seemed basically impervious to his fire breath, and it was clear in a shooting contest she would be the winner. As the sun guardian closed in to try to use his claws and teeth, Toramaru simply lowered her long spear plunged it in on the approaching Kerobero's flank, piercing his hide and flesh. Heavily wounded, both mystic guardians crashed down from the skies.

_**Obey the command! God of thunder, Come Forth!**_-Syaoran took the chance that Byakuren seemed to be now fully focused on Sakura, to try to shoot her down with his longest range attack.

_**[Lightning] "Electrified Nyuudou"! **_-The mist around Ichirin suddenly flew and expanded into the shape of a colossal head of an old-looking man, crackling with lighting all around, that blocked Syaoran's attack, before unleashing a series of pink thunders from his eyes back at the boy, who jumped to the side to evade them.

_I'll show no mercy to any sort of scoundrel!_-said Ichirin, her focus having now changed to Syaoran, more colossal pink fists growing around her. The boy then remembered reading about the Nyuudou, cloud beings able to to change their size and shape almost at will among other dangerous powers. Just great, clearly the trio of monk magician, undead sea captain and tiger avatar of the god of war and fortune weren't problem enough.

* * *

_**SHADOW! RELEASE!**_-Dodging the magic malestorm raging around her, Sakura unleashed another card, willing it to cover Byakuren's glowing scroll. However the flying dark mantle was shot down from the sky by a burst of red lasers coming from the side, forced back into card form. Then an anchor attached to a long chain swinged in from the other side, trying to wrap around her star wand, but again the card mistress managed to evade the attack thanks to her honed aerial magic combat experience and good luck. Pausing a moment to look around, Sakura saw that Toramaru and Murasa were now flying just outside the star maelstorm, adding their attacks to Byakuren's own. Sakura suddenly feared for her guardians. She could still feel their presence nearby, but that those two youkai were there now meant that Keroberos and Yue had been gravely hurt.

_Just another simple enemy..._-commented Toramaru to Sakura as their eyes crossed-_Still, even if you are an enemy, there's no denying that you were chosen by the Clow Cards. However, if you've chosen to follow the wrong path ... Then I'll have you bow down before this pagoda of Bishamonten! _

_**[Light Sign] "Aura of Justice"!**_

White-blue pillars of pure light came down from the sky, forming a circular cage around Sakura, and started closing in. They were so bright that it hurted to just try looking at them. The card mistress's mind raced. During their days together, Reimu had told her quite a bit of stories about the shrine maiden's extermination missions. How high ranking youkai were quite resilient to both physical and magic damage, and thus she specialized in purifying techniques. Sakura pulled out one of the cards she had never used before from her deck, helding her near her face, and chanted:

_**[Dream Sign] Wild Exorcism Dance! RELEASE!**_

To Sakura's surprise, many paper seals attached in streamers appeared at the head of her wand. She suddenly felt an urge to move her body in a specific pattern, much as the Sword card guided her to become a fencing specialist when summoned. Except instead of a blade, this time she swinged around a holy staff, the amulets now attached to it dissipating the approaching pillars of light and magic stars with but a touch. New holy amulets formed and shot from her staff with each swing, pinning the youkai surrounding her. Sakura slowly danced forward towards Byakuren with clear decision on her face.

_You just don't know when to give up, do you little girl?-_said Murasa, pulling a new card and placing it over her ladle, making it glow with a sickly green light_- You're lucky that Byakuren-sama explicitly forbid us from killing you. So I'll just make you lose consciousness! _

_[**Drowning Sign] "Sinkable Vortex"!**_

Murasa swinged her ladle upwards, and an impossibly large amount of water came out from the container, spreading out in a spiral and enveloping the dancing Sakura, violently spinning her around, filling her throat and nostrils with gelid, salty liquid, stealing her breath while numbing her whole body...

* * *

_Inside the flying ship_

Reimu finally managed to spot a stronger-looking, cloaked youkai flying among the small fry inside the ship. As the shrine maiden flew closer, it shot elaborate patterns of parallel purple shots of energy at her, which she dodged without much trouble. A counter-barrage of amulets from Reimu and the robe was blasted apart, revealing the figure inside.

It looked like a younger human girl, but she had large round ears covered in gray fur, like her her hair. The youkai's eyes were red and she wore a a brownish-black one-piece with pink sleeves and a gray capelet. She also wore a necklace with a crystal pendant and carried dowsing rods with the letters for the cardinal directions on the ends. Behind her waist twirled a long fleshy gray tail holding a basket filled with mouses.

_It's me, the little dowser general!-_squealed the tiny youkai in satisfaction.

_Nazrin? What are you doing here?-_asked Reimu.

_Hehe, you've fell right into my trap like the human you are!_

_You're here just to be a pointless encounter, aren't you?_

_That and keeping you distracted._

_Distracted from what?_

_You'll have to exterminate me to find out!_

The youkai closed ranks around Reimu, following the signs of their tiny commander. The shrine maiden started to think what the fastest way out of that ship would be.

* * *

Syaoran jumped away from the massive fist smashing apart the street pavement, and then striked it with his sword, slicing it in half, but it felt futile. Ichirin's Nyuudou could easily form new limbs to attack him. Two enemies fighting as one, the confident youkai nun commanding the normally timid cloud giant. It was Ichirin who he had to fight now, but she remained well in the air, using her Nyuudou servant to attack while hiding herself above its form. Syaoran couldn't get a clear shot with his jufus, and couldn't reach her with his sword, not with just his celestial magic and martial training. It was time for desperate measures. Syaoran pulled a card out and threw it in the air, making it spin, before stabbing it with his sword:

_**[Umbrella Sign] "Flurry Traveler" !**_

From the card burst out a large assortment of open umbrellas flying upwards towards Ichirin!

_Ohoh, you think you can defeat me with that? You're mad, human!_-taunted the youkai nun, swinging her arm, and a large open palm made of clouds formed, easily scattering away the incoming umbrellas trough the air.

_...Hey, where did he go?_-Ichirin had momentarily lost sight of Syaoran due to the colourful umbrellas covering his previous position, and now she couldn't see him anywhere on the ground below her.

_**Obey the command! Fire God, Come Forth!**_

Several jufus suddenly fell over Ichirin and burst into flames, enveloping her in fire! She screamed in pain but her youkai skin resisted. Turning to look at where the attack had came from, she saw Syaoran hanging from one of the many floating umbrellas now on the air, sword stored at his back and holding more jufus in his free hand.

_Ah, you have nowhere to run now now, human!_-gloated Ichirin as she willed her Nyuudou to form a new fist to catch Syaoran in mid air. The umbrella he was holding to was moving so slow it felt almost too easy for her...

However at the last moment Syaoran simply leaped away from the umbrella carrying him, using another jufu for a burst of wind to help him get to the next nearby flying umbrella. He repeated the process again and again as the cloud fists tried to catch him, getting a bit better at it each time. Ichirin didn't realize right away that Syaoran wasn't just dodging, with each umbrella jump he was getting closer and closer to the youkai nun. Ichirin only noticed it when eventually Syaoran didn't leap to a new umbrella, but rather towards her, grabbing the handle of the sword at his back

**_KAAAA!_**-with one single move Syaoran drew his sword and, holding it with both hands, delivered a clean slice across the surprised youkai's chest, feeling his blade slice trough her flesh. A mixture of red and blue blood burst forth from the wound a moment later. The cloud fists dissipated as Syaoran grabbed into another umbrella and started to rise further higher up.

He would've liked to try to capture that Nyuudou, but Sakura's wand was the only artifact he knew that could seal magic with ease during battle. A shame because he didn't believe this opponent was finished yet. A Youkai strong enough to control a Nyuudou wasn't something you could kill with just one cut, even if Syaoran had managed to fully slice her in half. But he had at least temporaly gotten her out of the way, and that allowed the boy to focus on his current priority. Looking above, he saw her, Sakura trapped in a glowing vortex surrounded by glowing whit-blue pillars and a maelstorm of golden lights. The vortex seemed to be her biggest problem right now, and Murasa seemed to be the one in control of it. A drowned spirit, so Syaoran suspected water, wind or fire wouldn't affect it much. That left him one option as he let go of the umbrella to have both hands free to place a jufu over his sword:

_**Obey the command! God of thunder, Come Forth!**_

As Syaoran fell trough the air, forked lighting shot upward from his blade, striking Murasa on the back, breaking her concentration. The vortex dissipated, and the freed Sakura swung her star gohei around, dissipating the remaining of Toramaru's pillars.

_Capture them now!_-shouted Syaoran, grabbing another floating umbrella below him and restarting to rise.

With a flick of her wrist, the card mistress's staff returned to its original form and she spinned it over her head with a single arm to catch the dissipating energies around her as she graciously flew to dodge the ongoing maelstorm:

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Minamitsu and Shou cards!**_

The swirling magic coalesced into two cards at the tip of Sakura's sealing wand, one landing in Sakura's outstretched hand while the other flew towards the ascending Syaoran below her.

_Together now!_-shouted the boy, stoping to hover at Sakura's side, using his sword to deflectithe incoming golden projectiles that came too close for his liking.

_Yes, let's do it! __**WINDY! RELEASE!**_-agreed Sakura, deciding it was too risky to try to convert her new acquisition now, instead focusing on using her first card to support Syaoran in stopping the maelstorm around them.

Murasa and Toramaru positioned themselves at the youkai magician's flanks, spear and pagoda, anchor and ladle at the ready.

_Damn, they're way too durable for simple humans! They should've already collapsed from just the collateral damage!_-complained Murasa.

_Their clothes aren't natural... They don't have a single scratch between them. Byakuren-sama, please allows us to go all out against them! It's the only way for our justice to prevail here!_-requested Toramaru.

_No, this is my responsibility. You two please go down and give me some maneuvering room..._-Byakuren dismissed her card as Syaoran and Sakura were slowly but surely defeating her card. Byakuren still smiled, but it was a different, smaller smile now. Her two followers then realized she was about to get serious.

Sakura was somewhat surprised at Byakuren pulling back another of her cards out of her own will, while Syaoran suspected she was doing it to prevent it from being captured, in particular because she kept her magic circle summoned. Then as they saw the tiger and drowned spirit youkai seemingly abandoning the battle, Sakura's optimism made her pause:

_You're giving up, Hijiri-sama? Will you lift the purple mist now?_

Byakuren didn't answer, rather rising her head as she crossed her legs in a lotus position in mid-air, looking at her scroll and starting to recite something to herself. The words were in a language unknown to the humans, but it sent chills down their spines just from hearing it. Then Byakuren lowered her head and stared at Sakura, still smiling:

_Card Mistress, did you really think you're the only one that can capture the spells of others?_

_Any magician can do it with enough time and effort. Here's something special I got from the ruler of Makai..._

_**[Great Magic] Devil Recitation!**_

Byakuren wasn't speaking in an human language anymore, yet Sakura and Syaoran somehow understood it now. The four golden lotus flowers of Byakuren's magic circle turned forward and each unleashed a massive beam of red destruction, so powerful that Byakuren herself was pushed back from the recoil. As they dodged, Sakura and Syaoran caught a glimpse of the red beams punch holes trough the purple mist and impacting on a distant uninhabited area on the outskirts of Tomoeda, causing a giant explosion that all but obliterated the struck area and producing a mushroom cloud of dust and smoke above. Truly destruction in a massive scale. Sakura's eyes widened in sudden fear for any collateral loss of innocent life, something that Byakuren seemed to notice as she spoke again in the devilish language:

_Don't worry, Sakura, I'm making sure to don't aim at any of the primitive primates below us. I don't hold any rancor against them. But do you understand now? You could use your cards for so many great things, even change the world... If only you weren't forced to hide your magic!_

_I-I like this world the way it is now!_-shouted back Sakura, somewhat confused at Byakuren's words.

* * *

_Somewhere else in the skies above Tomoeda_

Reimu had just broken out from the flying youkai ship by smashing her way out with her enlarged orbs, and was now looking around for any clues of where to go next, when she saw four massive red beams shoot trough the sky. Well, that was a clear sign of the presence of a powerful and dangerous youkai if she had ever seen one. She dashed trough the air towards the source point of the beams.

* * *

Byakuren's beams subsided, only to be replaced by blue energy tendrils shooting from the lotus flowers and surrounding Sakura and Syaoran while the monk magician's scroll started to unleash wave after wave of large red orbs and smaller golden orbs, in a never ending barrage of attacks. Perhaps a bit overkill, but Byakuren felt like she needed the extra firepower to punch trough those magician's strange protective clothings and .put them down for good. Syaoran and Sakura managed to keep dodging a direct hit from the incoming attacks by an hair's breath, but they saw no opening whatsoever for attempting a counter-attack, and couldn't even keep close enough to properly support each other. Syaoran then noticed something and shouted:

_Sakura, the scroll is reciting the spell on its own!_

_Ah, I know then!_-replied Sakura, as a sudden idea crossed her mind and she pulled a card-_**SILENCE! RELEASE!**_

Shouting a spell's name when starting it was usually simply something needed to help focus or amplify the magic, not actually necessary to use it. However some kinds of spells were indeed based on special chants and sounds. Byakuren's in particular was based on repeating sutras over and over. As the Silence card manifested, the scroll's chant started to grow weaker. Byakuren noticed it and tried to add her own voice, but suddenly found her own words quenched as well. The monk magician pitted her will against the card mistress with all her might. She had sacrificed her humanity. She had practised for over a thousand years while sealed in Makai. She would not lose to a child in a direct contest of magic, even if she had inherited Clow's own cards!

Then Byakuren saw Syaoran approach her trough the gaps left on her weakened card, umbrella in one hand and sword in the other. Time seemed to slow down to her as he thrust his blade towards her, cutting trough her magic circle. She could see in his eyes that Syaoran didn't see her as the same as himself, fellow magicians, but simply as a monster to be cut down... No, not that. He saw her as a monster that had attacked his beloved...What had been the last time Byakuren had cared for another individiual like that? Ah, young human hearts were indeed fickle things...

As the sword pierced her flesh, Byakuren's words became weaker, and she soon found herself with no voice at all as her scroll also fell silent. The monk magician's spell ended. She couldn't summon her sutra scroll's powers anymore. The purple mist started to slowly vanish. Byakuren realized she was defeated.

_W-We did it..._-Sakura's body fell backwards as her wings vanished and she started to plummet downwards towards the ground below, completely exhausted from the stress of pitting her magic directly against Byakuren's mighty sutra scroll.

_SAKURA!_-Syaoran spun in mid air, pulling his sword from Byakuren's body and kicked his umbrella, propeling himself downard towards Sakura. He could still reach her and use wind magic to slow down their fall...

A flash from the side and a thin blue laser grazed Syaoran's torso as he twisted his body in mid-air to dodge it. He couldn't afford to slow down his descent. The next moment a massive anchor came from the other side, which he parried with his sword before kicking it away, gaining some extra speed downward. However that left him open to the massive fist of clouds coming from behind him, the colossal fingers closing around his body and entrapping him.

_SAKURAAAA!_-shouting was all that Syaoran could do as he saw her beloved keep falling down.

_**Nikou Hijiri's Air Scroll!**_

With the card mistress unconscious, the Silence ended, Byakuren could use her main magic once more, and flew downwards at breathtaking speed, catching Sakura on her arms at the last moment before the girl hit the street. She then looked upward and gave a stern look to her followers, even as her recent wound still bled. Byakuren was no longer smiling as she spoke:

_Were you really letting the card mistress plummet to her death?_

_You just told us to don't kill her, not to save her life.-_bluntly answered Ichirin, her wounds already healed thanks to her youkai metabolism, while her Nyuudou slowly closed his grip on Syaoran, making sure he could not slip away.

_Well, with a bit of luck she would come back as a spirit after she died, and that would make our job much easier._-commented Murasa, storing her anchor in her back

_If she truly is an important as you claim, the powers that be would not let her end in such an inglorious way._-declared Toramaru, slowly floating down as the light on her pagoda diminished.

_...Shameful behavior, all of you! I'll have you all attend extra lessons when this is over._-As Byakuren scolded her followers, she felt Sakura starting to squirm in her arms as her eyes opened again, finding herself being held y Byakuren and letting out:

_Hoe?_

_Shhh, everything's alright now. Sakura._-said Byakuren in a soothing, almost motherly tone, as she held the card mistress tighter, making sure she couldn't draw out any more cards–_ Your body is still young and human, so you still struggle to use too much magic in too little time. Don't resist, just relax. I'm now gonna take you to Gensokyo. There I'll help you learn the true nature of magic. I'm sure you'll come to understand us once you get to meet all the youkai that live there, and you'll eventually shed your humanity out of your own will to help you reach enlightenment. Then you will become the guiding light for all youkai back this world..._

_W-where's Syaoran-kun?_-asked Sakura, her brain still struggling to process what was happening.

_He's fine. We can bring him along with us if you want._

_Hey, what do you exactly think you're doing in this world, Byakuren?-_shouted another, angry voice.

The youkai looked to the direction the shout was coming from and saw Reimu quickly approaching, gohei in one hand and an handful of amulets in the other. Murasa and Toramaru flew upwards to intercept her and Reimu stopped. Facing four high ranking youkai at once didn't scare her, but she saw now they had two humans on their grasp. Both magicians, yes, but humans nevertheless. That were now her friends. She couldn't attack right now.

_I'm just doing your job, my dear Reimu._-calmly replied Byakuren as she started setting up her scroll with one arm while securing Sakura with the other-_Yukari asked you to bring this magician to Gensokyo, did she not? You were taking so long that she asked me to do it next._

_It was all a misunderstanding! Sakura may be a magician, but she belongs to this world!_

_So, why did you remain in this place?_

_Ah, well, since I came all the way here it would be a waste not to take a look around..._

_And can't we take a look around this world as well?_

_Of course not! You're youkai!_

_And just because of that we're not allowed to enjoy this world? Even though for the first time in centuries it has enough magic to sustain some of us again?_

_You put the people of this city in a catatonic state! And now you're trying to kidnap two humans!_

_I'm doing this for their own good. Their abilities will just wither if they remain here._

_Who are you to decide that about humans, youkai?_

_Who are you to decide who gets exterminated or sealed, demonic shrine maiden?_

As Reimu and Byakuren spoke, the sutra scroll kept repeating a new low chant, and a purple portal started to form on the floor. The shrine maiden could feel where it would lead. Gensokyo.

_Well, Reimu, it was nice having this chat, but I must be going now. I trust you have your own ways of returning once you're done with sightseeing._-smiled Byakuren as she remained in the center of the forming portal while holding Sakura, approached by Ichirin carrying the helpless Syaoran, and Toramaru and Murasa following in close while keeping watch over the nearby shrine maiden.

Reimu gritted her teeth. If she at least could get some distraction to make the youkai to drop Sakura and Syaoran... But Byakuren and her followers had all their eyes on her, ready to react to any move on her part, showing no openings. Then a girl with long blue hair stepped out from her hiding spot behind a nearby car.

_Please... Please don't take Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun away, Hijiri-sama..._-begged Tomoyo to the monk magician, struggling to remain on her feet due to the purple mist.

_Ah, the ordinary human who kept her magician friend's secrets..._-commented Byakuren, remembering what Yukari had told her about the card mistress-_If you have connections with Sakura and Syaoran, you're free to come with us. My temple also welcomes humans that are willing to peacefully exist along magic. Who knows, perhaps you'll be able to learn some magic of your own in there._

_Don't listen to her! They'll probably just have you as an afternoon snack!-_warned Reimu.

_I..._-Tomoyo uncosciously started stepping inside the portal. The promise of magic didn't really interest her, but having her beloved Sakura go to another dimension and leaving her behind was something she could not bear with.

Ichirin then glimpsed something red flash trough the air. Something hit her face, then she screamed in pain as she felt her skin and flesh burn, even if there was no fire. Everybody else turned to her and saw that she had three long red needles piercing her forehead, but they hadn't seen the shrine maiden throw anything. As the cloud fist holding Syaoran dissolved due to its master's loss of concentration, a small figure dashed forward from around another nearby car, throwing more needles at the youkai as she moved, although those were more clumsy and none hit their targets. Byakuren heard the fast approaching steps and turned just in time to see a girl with long hair tied in buns plus an amulet on her forehead and wearing a short dress with large sleeves thrust her right open palm upward, smashing the monk magician's chin upwards!

_Release... Sakura-chan!_-screamed Meiling, taking hold of and twisting Byakuren's arm, forcing her to release the card mistress. Meiling grabbed her and jumped back, trying to exit the portal area as reality started to twist around them, but she collapsed to her knees, the sudden effort having drained her already of what little energy she had left while fighting to resist the purple mist.

_The other normal human?_-smiled Byakuren, massaging her chin-_Why do you struggle? Why are you weighting Sakura down?_

_Sakura can decide her own life!_-declared Syaoran, raising to his feet and holding up his sword with clear difficulty, feeling his whole body sore,

_No, she cannot while being pulled away from the path of enlightenment by such short-sighted humans. Her-No, your eyes will be opened in Gensokyo-_replied Byakuren calmly.

Reimu, remaining silent, saw how Toramaru and Murasa had become distracted by the recent events, just as the portal was finishing to transport them to Gensokyo. The shrine maiden suddenly teleported in the middle of the youkai, pulling a spellcard:

_You kids, run and don't look back!_

_**[Divine Arts] "Omnidirectional Demon-Binding Circle"!**_

Circles of bright multi-colored light formed around the nearby youkai and tightned around their bodies, as well as around Reimu herself, locking them all into the place where they stood, leaving only the other humans free!

Syaoran noticed how the world around them now seemed to shift every second. Tomoeda, an old decayed shrine, a massive mountain, Tomoeda again, a dark forest, a large mansion... They had to escape now before the transport was concluded. Gritting his teeth, he placed another jufu on his sword, praying he still had enough leftover magic:

_**Obey the command! Petals of wind, Come Forth!**_

A strong wind lifted and carried Sakura, Meiling and Tomoyo out of the circle portal as it changed to the dark forest once more, and Syaoran managed to sprint and jump after them before it changed again.


	9. Chapter 9

The youkai and the shrine maiden were in a standstill, neither able to make a move as the ritual circle kept transporting them between the borders of the outside world and Gensokyo. Byakuren smiled and asked:

_How long can you hold this seal of yours, Reimu? And when it ends, do you believe you can take on my creed all by yourself?_

_I can keep it up long enough._-grinned the shrine maiden-_Maybe your youkai friends would like to join our chat? Because we're gonna be here for a long time._

_You're buying the humans time? How noble of you._

_Nobility my ass, they've offered me better donations in a week than I received during the rest of my life! Can't lose clients like that!_

As they talked, the portal circle seemed to stablize, and they were in an open field filled with flowers, green, red, yellow and blue fairies flying above them. They were in Gensokyo.

_Reimu, that's enough of you._-said a new voice in a calm yet menacing tone.

The shrine maiden and the inded youkai turned their heads to see Yukari's face appear upside-down from inside a black gap horizontally floating in mid air. Then a new horizontal gap appeared below Reimu, swallowing her up and ending her spell.

_Sorry for any trouble this idiotic child may've caused you. I'll make sure to properly discipline her.-said_ Yukari before disappearing inside her own gap.

_I humbly apologize for letting myself be distracted... What would you have us do now, Byakuren-sama?_-asked Toramaru with her head lowered, kneeling behind the monk magician.

Byakuren studied her scroll for a moment before closing it and replying:

_I sense that Sakura still ended somewhere else in Gensokyo, I'm sure of it. Go and spread the word. The card mistress is in the fantasy land. Great rewards to any one who can guide us to her_!

Her youkai followers didn't need any more instructions and took flight in separate directions.

* * *

Sakura's eyes slowly opened. She felt groggy and drowsy, as she usually did after using too much magic in a short amount of time. Above her was a thick, dark canopy of trees, blocking most of the sky and only letting a few weak rays of light reach the ground. Sakura seemed to hear faint giggles and chirps coming from an undetermined direction. The air was cold and damp and carried a strong, almost overwhelming smell of mushrooms. Stranger still, she felt faint magic all around her.

Sitting up and looking around, the card mistress saw Syaoran kneeling behind her and focusing on his Rashinban board, while Tomoyo knelt at her feet with her eyes staring back at her. She no longer had the amulet on her forehead, but seemed to be doing fine as she smiled at the red-haired girl:

_Ah, Sakura-chan, you've woken up! I'm so glad!_

_What happened, Tomoyo-chan...?-_asked Sakura as her brain worked to remember the recent events.

_After you lost consciousness, Hijiri and her servants got us at their mercy..._ -started to tell Syaoran-_I failed to save you as you fell, Sakura-chan, but Hijiri used her magic to catch you in the end. She then started a ritual to take us to Gensokyo. Reimu came back then, but she couldn't act because the youkai had us as hostages. Tomoyo and Meiling however managed to provide a distraction to release you and me, and then Reimu took the chance to attack the youkai and keep them busy as the portal ritual was operating. I managed to pull us out from there as we were escaping, but it was still pretty close._

_I'm sure you did your best, Syaoran-kun. But where are we now...?-_asked Sakura, still feeling too tired to stand up.

_I... Don't know. But the magic readings I'm getting from around here are unlike anything I've ever seen. It seems like we still ended in Gensokyo after all, but in a completely different place than Hijiri and her followers wanted to go._-replied Syaoran.

Suddenly there was a sound of rustling leaves from the side, and Meiling jumped down from a nearby tree's canopy. She didn't have the amulet on her forehead anymore either, but her voice seemed refilled with vitality as she spoke:

_It's no good, Syaoran-kun, I climbed all the way up to the top to scout around and there's no signs of civilization anywhere around us, just trees as far as the eye can see, and I'm sure I saw some things flying that weren't birds or planes... Oh, Sakura-chan, you're awake already! _

_Oh, hi Meiling-chan! I must thank you for helping me and Syaoran-kun..._-smiled Sakura.

_It was nothing, really_-blushed a bit Meiling-_Anyway, the sun is setting and it looks like it will be night pretty quickly. We should set camp here. There's a near small river and nice smelling mushrooms growing everywhere in this forest, we can use those for food..._

_Don't touch the mushrooms._-warned Syaoran, dismissing his Rashinban board- _The things growing on this forest don't feel natural. Anyway I've managed to detect a stronger magic presence not too far from here. Or many different magic presences in the same place. We should investigate it first._

_Wouldn't it be safer to rest here for a while more? Sakura-chan still looks tired._-asked Tomoyo

_Most of Youkai are much more active at night. In this kind of place we're too vulnerable once night falls._

_I'm feeling better already, let's go to that place you detected, Syaoran-kun!_-cheerfully said Sakura, standing up and starting to walk. She did felt tired, but that place sent chills down her spine. She was pretty sure it was full of ghosts, so the faster they got away, the better.

* * *

_Hakurei Shrine_

It was a run-down building, even if it had been rebuilt from scratch just a few years earlier. To be expected since the shrine maiden was the only one living on it, and her constant extermination missions left her little time for maintenance. Or more accurately, when she was not dealing with such troubles, she would mostly laze around, at most sweeping the floor. Although other youkai normally passed by, they were even less interested in helping with repairs. And human worshipers had dwindled to almost none due to the shrine maiden's famed bad humors and tales on how her shrine was infested by youkai. Reimu once had acquired a robot maid to clean the shrine from a traveler from the outside world from another time, but it had long ago broken down and there was nobody in Gensokyo who knew how to repair it, so it now rested at the shrine's basement, covered in dust and webbings, all but forgotten.

Suddenly two borders opened over the open front area, and from one fell Reimu, slamming her butt in the cold hard stone below. From the other popped Yukari's head, standing up this time.

_Now, Reimu, what part of "Bring the magic girl to Gensokyo" you exactly didn't understand?_

_Give me a break, Yukari. She's just an human magician from the outside world._

_She's the living proof that the world outside our borders can sustain great magic once more. No, she's the reason why it is possible._

_Ah, what do you care? I thought you cared about Gensokyo above everything else?_

_Reimu, remind me, why hasn't you been slain by youkai yet?_

_Because my bloodline is essential to maintain the border of Gensokyo in one piece, and if I die it would be a short matter of time until this whole place collapsed, taking all the youkai down with me?_

_Correct. Now imagine if the border was doomed to collapse anyway..._

_Hey, don't joke around! That thing's been holding up for centuries now!_

To empathize her point, Reimu flew up and swung her gohei to an apparently empty spot, but where she knew that there was one of they key parts of the Great Hakurei barrier, and slammed her gohei into it, producing a blue shockwave in mid-air.

_See, holding perfectly together..._

A glowing red crack appeared on the area of air struck by the gohei, splitting open in a floating glowing gap, that quickly started to expand.

_Crapcrapcrapcrap didn't meant to do that!_-shouted Reimu, unleashing a barrage of amulets to stop the smaller cracks from spreading, before summoning multiple translucent barriers to cover the main rend, that slowly disappeared.

_As you can see, Reimu, the border is already quite fragile. I've been doing it my best to close any unwanted gaps that appear, but truth is, the Great Hakurei border was an improvised and desesperate work from the start, little more than a necrotic fantasy to try to get us more time. It's been slowly decaying ever since it was created. That your bloodline needed to keep it up is now reduced to a single individual doesn't help matters either. There's only so much patch-work repairs I or you can do before the whole thing will come crumbling down. Which shall happen fairly soon from what I feel, even if you cannot. That's why I tried to lead those invasions to the moon, to see if we could secure ourselves a new magic land. You know how those ended. I was getting really desesperate looking for a solution, when Sakura the Card Mistress shined a ray of hope for me, her magic shining brightly from nothing in such a short amount of time. Although I now wonder how much of that magic as from that Syaoran kid, since they seem to be always acting together... But point is, with that kind of magic that can bloom even in the outside world, we can save most youkai and humans from Gensokyo before it collapses._

_...Did Byakuren know?_

_Oh, no. Only you and me, and my shikigamis. It would be complete panic in Gensokyo if word got out the Great Hakurei border is collapsing for good. It would only make it come down even faster._

_Then couldn't you just have asked for Sakura's help? She's a pretty nice kid, always eager to do the right thing._

Yukari grinned, showing two rows of sharp teeth inside her mouth.

_We're talking about unleashing thousands of youkai in a world overflowing with millions, no, billions of helpless humans that forgot to properly fear the night and what lurks in it. Here in Gensokyo you already struggle watching over an handful of humans confined to a tiny village. What do you think happens when there's multiple cities across several continents to watch over? There'll be no way to keep their hunger for human flesh in check, at least not at the start. There will be great chaos before a new order rises. Even if we managed to convince Sakura initially, she would soon turn against us and seek to seal us away for good once her fellow humans start being devoured en masse. She must be submitted first, to make sure she won't turn against us later on._

_What about Byakuren and her whole talk about equality and peaceful co-existence? You seemed relatively fine working with her._

_We speak different words, but with the same meaning. A world where youkai and humans have the same rights will still be ruled by youkai, because we have greater power to use and abuse said rights. Humans who dislike this should just become youkai themselves. Byakuren simply lies to herself in that everybody would get along when some are almost immortal beings of great power and others are short-lived tasty morsels. In her own way, she's even more naive than Sakura._

_Then why do you need me, an human?_

_You have your uses. The Hakurei blood coursing trough your veins would lose its ancestral power if you became a youkai._

_And what makes you think I'll collaborate with you after hearing all of this?_

_Oh Reimu, that's simply because you've already been submitted._

_Excuse me, but I don't remember being your servant._

_You still don't understand it after all this years, do you Reimu? If Ran is my tool, my shikigami, the Hakurei women are my weapons, my warriors to deal with troublesome youkai. You've been born and trained to exterminate youkai precisely so you can deal with my kin that would disrupt my operations. Not much different than an human who trains vicious dogs to reign in their more unruly fellow humans. Since just as I'm willing to do anything to ensure that me and my brethern keep existing, many youkai would rather go out in a last blaze of glory. Sometimes you went of your own accord thanks to the indoctrination you received. Other times I had to directly push you. In particular against the lunarians. I guess since they weren't youkai, you didn't feel nearly as compeled to fight them, but you still did so when I commanded you. And those times that you failed and some other human couldn't pick up the slack, I had to get my hands dirty._

_But I fought you! Multiple times!_

_I was simply and personally sharpening your edge. You should feel grateful I care that much for you._

_Nonsense! I fought you out of my own will!_

_Yet when I crushed your shrine to rubble as punishment for trusting that celestial, all you could do was cry helplessly. _

_I-I exterminate youkais! I don't take orders from them!_

_Then why do you always have more youkai visitors than humans? You've proved doubly useful as a nexus point for my kin's relationships. All the gatherings of youkai you had at your shrine, they greatly help me keep tabs at the situation and dealings in Gensokyo. Indeed, you've been quite a good weapon in both war and peace. But when the great border collapses, that will all be for naught._

_...You know, Yukari, all I'm hearing from you now is "Please, Reimu, exterminate me good"._

Reimu wouldn't stand for this anymore and reacted like she usually did when she felt frustated when talking with someone: by unleashing a barrage of amulets and needles at said individual. Yukari frowned and disappeared back insider her gap, before re-appearing under Reimu's feet.

_My, my, still acting rebellious even when your very survival is at stake? I would discipline you now, but I fear that due to your screw-up and reluctance on recognizing it, I have to go myself find where Sakura, Syaoran and those other two humans ended in Gensokyo before they get eaten or worst. _

Reimu tried to step on Yukari's head, but the youkai was faster and all the shrine maiden's feet hit was the cold ground below.

_Running away, are we? Show yourself you coward! I'm not finished with you yet!_-screamed Reimu, blindly throwing more amulets and needles around and swinging her gohei at the air, hoping that Yukari would show up again from an unexpected angle. But she was completely alone now at her shrine. Again.

* * *

(Author's notes: Yeah, shorter chapter than usual, but I already put two bigger ones online today, and I feel like this has some important points about this plot. I seem to just keep on writing and when I notice it I have over 20 pages of text and have to divide it in chapters.)


	10. Chapter 10

_Tomoeda, as the purple mist was disappearing._

A young girl with white hair and dressed in green and white clothing ran across the streets of the city. She could have looked like a completely normal human, except she carried a large katana almost as long as she was tall on her back and a more normal sized sword on her waist, moving as if they weighted nothing. That and she was followed closely by a floating white ball, a bit bigger than her head, with a little pointy tail. As she ran she talked to herself:

_Alright, I've infiltrated Byakuren's ship to reach this world. I didn't interfere in her confrontation with the card mistress neither did I let the shrine maiden notice me. Now all I need to do to fulfill Yuyuko-sama's commands is just to find her..._

The white-haired girl looked around as she ran, clearly looking for something. She ignored the many humans around still recovering from the dissipating purple mist. She ignored the few lesser phantoms roaming the city that were invisible to the normal humans but that she could see perfectly. The shapeless white remains of the souls of people who had recently died, that would normally slowly drift to the netherworld before going to their respective afterlife, pretty harmless overall besides the potential of causing a little chill if they passed trough your body. They looked quite similar to the floating ball following the girl. Eventually she spotted what she was looking for: a woman of average height, with long, flowing gray hair, a long white frilly dress, and half-closed wings with pure white feathers on her back. Her body was translucent as if she didn't belong to this world.

_G-ghost..._-the white-haired girl's voice trembled at the sight of her target-_No, calm yourself down, Youmu Konpaku. You gather spirits for Mistress Yuyuko... This is just a more advanced spirit... Yes, a greater phantom with strong feelings to make her attached to this world and with amazing power to maintain an human form and develop wings... Nothing to be afraid off... There's no reason to be afraid of g-ghosts..._

The ghostly woman seemed to notice that Youmu could see her, and warmly smiled at her while closing her eyes. The girl drew her large katana and held it with both hands in front of her, shaking in clear fear. She took a deep inhale and tried to speak in an higher, more confident voice:

_M-My lady Yuyuko-sama ordered me to bring you to the Netherworld, g-ghost! You've lingered enough time on this place of the living! If you refuse, I'm a-allowed to use force to make you comply!_

The ghostly woman opened her wings and slowly flew towards Youmu. The sword girl found herself stumbling back, needing to use most of her willpower to resist the urge to just turn and run away as fast as she could. She half-expected the ghost to start unleashing barrages of danmaku or perhaps open right away with a spellcard. Instead she just landed in front of Youmu, close enough that the tip of the sword almost touched her neck, and kept smiling at her, as if waiting instructions. That scared the sword girl even more. Even closer now, she could clearly sense the considerable power from this spirit, but she seemed to be surrendering without any kind of fight. After some moments of awkward silence the ghost spoke in a gentle, motherly voice:

_I'm eternally grateful for Yuyuko-sama to have allowed me to remain by my living family's side for all these years after my death. If she says my time is up, then I gladly accept it. Please guide me to the Netherworld._

_Ah... Good to see you're willing to come along willingly without any need of violence..._-as she stored her large katana on her back again, Youmu remembered that her lady had told her this specific ghost's name. It would be rude not to adress her by it since she was obeying willingly- _Please_ f_ollow me now, Nadeshiko..._

* * *

_The dark forest on Gensokyo_

_Are you alright, Tomoyo-chan?_-after what seemed like an hour of walking trough that strange forest, Sakura couldn't help but notice that her pale blue-haired friend seemed to be lagging behind, not used to great physical efforts, and the "path" they were taking was pretty rough due to all the roots and thick vegetation on their path, not to mention the damp air with the overwhelming smell of mushrooms all around them.

_I'm fine, Sakura-chan...Don't worry about me..._-Tomoyo smiled, but the fatigue on her face was pretty clear.

_No, you're not. I'm so sorry for having dragged you into this, Tomoyo-chan..._

_Don't be silly, Sakura-chan. I'm the one who always insists on following you in your adventures. I'm here with you because I wanted to..._

_Even then...Please wait a moment, I'm gonna use one of my cards to carry you..._

Sakura started to search her deck for a card that would be best suited for that task, but then Meiling grabbed Tomoyo's arms and crossed it over her shoulders, letting the blue-haired girl use her as support.

_Save your magic, Sakura-chan. I can help Tomoyo-chan keep walking by myself._-explained the chinese girl with an hint of pride on her voice. She seemed to have endured the forest travel better than any of them thanks to her superior physical training and not being burdened by any extra equipment.

_Thank you very much, Meiling-chan... Syaoran-kun, are we still too far away?_-asked the card mistress to the boy leading them trough the woods so far.

_I...Don't really know. This whole place is saturated with magic. I can still feel we're in the right direction, but not exactly how far away_-replied Syaoran, straining his eyes to try to spot something-anything in the forest besides more trees, grass, bushes or mushrooms, but it had been futile so far.

There was barely any ambient light around them as the sun finished setting, so Syaoran drew a jufu and with a flick of his wrist a small but bright flame sprouted at its tip, creating a magical torch to provide illumination for the group.

_Keep close. If we're in Gensokyo, Youkai should start appearing now..._

* * *

Unnoticed by the humans, they were stalked closely by three small children dressed much like victorian dolls and with large and vibrating insect-like wings on their backs. Light and sound distorted around them, rendering them basically invisible and silent to all but each other.

_Ah, those stupid humans can't see or hear us! They're no match for our combined powers even though they can use magic!_-said one, grinning in excitement.

_So, what should we do with them?_-asked the second to the others in a more monotonous tone.

_An incident! An incident! Let's raise an incident that will make all of Gensokyo shake, and take the status of us fairies to the heights!_-said the third in a cheerful tone.

_You always say that and then we end up not doing anything significant..._-commented the first with irony on her voice.

_Well, we did manage to start that great war!_-added the second.

_Let's just follow them by now. We'll think of something when the night advances and they start to awaken..._-spoke the third again, and they all giggled together, before realizing they were being left behind and hurrying back behind the humans.

* * *

All around Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo and Meiling, the ancient trees seemed to be moving as the eery light from the burning jufu shifted positions. The strange sounds around them seemed to be getting louder. And closer. Suddenly a a tiny girl looking like she was just 6 years old appeared from behind a tree, dressed in an extremely frilly blue dress. She flew a few feet above the ground thanks to three pairs of maifly-like wings on her back and had long blond hair reaching almost to her tiny waist. She was giggling for no apparent reason while staring in empty space and seemed to ignore the kids who paused on their tracks to take a good look at that being.

_Is that... A fairy?_-whispered Sakura to her companions, feeling like it would be rude to ask that loudly.

_Yes, it's a fairy_-whispered back Syaoran-_Don't make any sudden movements or loud noises. Don't do anything to draw their attention. It's one of the lesser ranking youkai. So low ranking that other supernatural creatures don't even regard them as youkai. They usually just prefers to play pranks on humans and have very limited powers. Normally just some basic elemental abilities, they can still be dangerous to humans when they get too excited. And fairies get excited easily..._

_Hey, fairy!-_shouted Meiling waving her hand up, deciding that if this was such a weak opponent, there was little risk in trying to wriggle some information out of them_-Could you please tell us where we are and where the nearest house is?_

_Oh, humans?-_said the fairy while turning her head towards them, as if finally noticing them_-I don't remember ever seeing so many of you together here in the Forest of Magic. I kinda thought you were an illusion. Anyway, if you're lost you just need to go in that direction._

_No, it's that way!-_another fairy with a red dress and hair and blue eyes appeared from inside the trees, pointing a tiny finger in another direction.

_I'll guide you to the exit if you play with me!_-a third fairy appeared.

_Me, pick me!_-and a fourth.

_Humans!-an_d a fifth and a sixth.

_Zunzunzun!_-over a dozen now.

More and more fairies with dresses, hair and eyes of all kinds of shapes and colors appeared from the middle of the trees and their canopies, starting to fly around the kids faster in chaotic patterns while shouting contradictory directions and advice.

_Hoe...-_Sakura's eyes spinned in confusion with the cacophony of sound, shape and color suddenly around her.

_...Plus fairies come in great flocks and if you draw the attention of one, many others are sure to follow._-Syaoran sighed as he finished his explanation and some of the fairies hovered just near his magic torch, as if they were moths attracted by a flame.

_Well, you should've said that from the start. Anyway they don't look that dangerous to me._-replied Meiling in an annoyed tone, grabbing and pinching the cheeks of a fairy that flew too close to her for a moment. It felt like an human skin alright, even small tears starting to form in the fairy's eyes before Meiling letting it fly away crying while the others around laughed.

_That's some interesting fabrics they're wearing... I wonder where they get their clothes in a place like this._-wondered aloud Tomoyo as she recorded the whole scene in her camera.

None of the humans noticed the roots and vines from some of the surrounding trees slowly creeping towards their feet from below, until they suddenly rose up and entangled around their legs, pulling them down to the ground and starting to drag the humans over the earth in separate directions! The trunks of the trees pulling them then split open, forming makeshift open jaws filled with rough wooden teeth.

_Did we forgot to mention the human-eating plants of the Forest of Magic? How silly of us, tee hee hee-_smiled a fairy with delight.

_That's why humans don't come here at night, at least not walking on the ground!-_ giggled another fairy while the others laughed in clear joy of seeing the humans struggling.

Syaoran quickly summoned his sword and started hacking at the roots and vines holding him, but it seemed like for every one he cut, another two took its place, further restricting his movements. He considered trying to burn them down with his jufus, but he hesitated for the risk of burning himself or one of the girls...

_Unhand me you overgrown weeds!-_screamed Meiling, managing to rip apart some of the vines around with her bare hands, but finding her movements more restrained at every passing moment, while Tomoyo didn't seem to offer any resistance, and thus attracting the attention of less of the youkai plants limbs.

_MIST! RELEASE!-_Sakura managed to pull one of her cards free and threw it against her entangled wand. A sickly green mist came out of the card and surrounded her and Syaoran, Meiling and Tomoyo, swiftly dissolving the animated roots and vines entangling them. The youkai plants seemed to moan in pain and uprooted themselves, moving away from the corrosive fog that expanded outward as fast as they could, leaving an opening in the middle for Sakura and her companions that revealed the starry sky and almost full moon above them, providing some natural light.

_Everybody's alright?_-asked the card mistress, looking around to check on her companions as she kept channeling The Mist.

_I'm fine, Sakura-chan, I managed to record every moment from your wonderful heroism!_-was Tomoyo's reply as she elegantly stood up still holding her camera.

_Oh, so those fairies were just keeping us distracted so we would end as tree food? Now I'm mad!_-shouted Meiling as she jumped from the ground back to her feet, drawing her needles.

_Watch out for them..._-warned Syaoran, standing back up with the help of his sword.

_Oh, she's an human with strong magic just like the black-white witch!_-squealed one of the fairies.

_Play! Play with us lots!_-squealed another with clear excitement.

The fairies danced upwards in the air, giggling and crying all the time, above the corrosive mist, before extending their open hands downward. Then each fairy started producing orbs or beams from their palms, of a varied combinations of energy. Fire, ice, electricity, acid, wind, peebles, golden light, purple darkness, they all shot downwards, none too big but still a lot of them and thus saturating the air as they descended upon the card mistress.

Sakura willed the mist to rise above them to try to use it as a shield, but the fairy attacks were too many and this specific card not very suited for defense against energy forms anyway, only a few shots being dissipated by the acid fog. Syaoran swiftly stepped in front of Sakura and swung his sword in a wide arc, slashing away several of the projectiles, and using his own body to block the other ones that got trough. He was hurt, but Tomoyo's reinforced clothing managed to bear the worst of the attacks. Luckily Meiling and Tomoyo hadn't any attacks aimed at her, the fairies short-span attention now focused on the human who could use magic. As the fairies paused their assault for a moment, Syaoran held his sword upwards and placed his already alight jufu over it:

_**Obey the command! Fire God, Come Forth!**_

An huge gout of flame shot upwards from the blade and engulfed several fairies, that did no attempt to dodge or extinguish the flames as they were burned down and exploded in flashes of light, leaving no remains behind, not even ashes. Yet the others kept laughing, some actually jumping into the lingering flames and exploding as well, while more fairies flocked in from the surrounding trees, attracted by the increasing noise and lights filling the night.

_Why do they keep coming? Aren't they afraid to die?_-asked an incredulous Meiling as the seemingly suicidical behavior of their current opponents, throwing needles at those that tried to sneak in from behind, watching in bewilderment as the winged elemental children exploded upon impact.

_They're supernatural manifestations of the aspects of nature! As long as there's local strong natural magic, they'll just reform themselves over time and they know it! We can just hope there's not too many of them in this place!_-explained Syaoran as he sustained his fire attack, but it seemed like new fairies filled the skies above them faster than he could burn them down.

_Another funny human magician!_-squealed some fairies.

_Play with us lots!_-demanded other fairies as they renewed their barrage of shots.

_...And no buildings or other people either... So, I don't need to hold back._-commented Sakura as the new fairy attacks descended upon her and Syaoran. She dismissed The Mist and pulled a new card rom her deck that she threw in the air and slammed it with her wand-_**STORM! RELEASE!**_

One of the hardest aspects on Sakura's journey to becoming a card mistress had been not going overboard with her magic. Sakura often had fought in her home city, near innocent bystanders and the property of others. From the start she had learned to be extra careful with her more destructive cards, least she would end up breaking other people's stuff or hurting them, and even then several times she had slipped and inflicted collateral damage that luckily people seemed to have blamed on something else. Sakura often had to spend as much energy and concentration reigning back her more aggressive cards actions as unleashing them in the first place.

But here, for a change, Sakura felt like she hadn't to worry about that sort of thing. Just wild forest around them for miles. The Storm felt how her mistress let her act almost completely free, the card's only restriction not to harm Sakura or her companions. A massive cyclone formed around their position with overwhelming power, stopping the fairy attacks and making them explode one after the other, uprooting many of the nearby trees and sending them flying in all directions!

_Ah, that felt good..._-said Sakura when she couldn't see any more fairies above her, and she called The Storm back into card form.

* * *

_Above the humans_

The three fairies able to distort sound and light hovered in mid-air, hugging each other as their bodies shaked in fear.

_Those humans are s-scary..._

_But see, I told you, up on this Sakura girl is supposed to be a safety zone!_

_Well, now what? No way we have any chance against them in a fight!_

_I have an idea!_

_Your ideas usually gets us caught..._

_If we hold our heads up high, it's gonna be okay even if we get caught!_

_Ah, fine, not like we had any other plans for tonight. So, what's your idea?_

_Listen well..._

* * *

_In a dark library in Gensokyo_

A pale girl with purple hair, eyes and pink pajamas and night cap sat at a large comfy chair reading a large book, surrounded by rows after row of massive bookshelves stacked with countless books as far as the eye could see. Her face lacked any kind of expression, as if she had no energy to care about anything, when suddenly something seemed to catch her attention and she slowly turned her head around, a look of surprise on her eyes, as if searching for something.

_I sense a great magic abnormality...I should give it a splendid investigation..._

The girl then coughed heavily for several seconds before recovering her breath, then closed the book she was reading and slowly floated up from her chair and hovered towards the bookshelves, starting to retrieve more tomes.

_One must conduct research before making a move..._

* * *

_In a dark room filled with human figures smaller than humans._

A young blonde woman elegantly dressed in seven colors had a focused look on her face as she carefully sewed a tiny dress for a cloth figurine. There were many other such figurines around her, some neatly organized in shelves, others just piled up on small mountains over the floor. In the table on front of the woman were several other sewing tools and toy accessories like miniature ribbons and a wide assortment of diminutive weapons like spears and swords. The room had a single glass window that allowed to see a small grass clearing followed by several ancient trees and a starry night sky above. Then suddenly something flashed from outside and was soon followed by the sound of some large things crashing all around the house. This distracted the young woman and made her miss a stitch of her sewing, forcing her to pause and try to salvage her error while sighing:

_How can humans possibly not be aware of this huge disaster? If nothing is done, we won't be able to enjoy that. _

She stared a moment at the half-done figurine she was holding, as if it could answer back.

_Fine, I'm going to try to call that person to investigate it. She's used to it._

She stared a few more moments at the unfinished toy she was holding.

_Geez, alright, I'll try to investigate it myself._

The young woman stood up and several of the tiny human figures around her raised in the air or stood to their feet and started awkwardly walking as if pulled by invisible strings. From under some of the rising toys a large tome sealed with thick red metal strips and a metal lock was revealed. Eight figurines lifted it up and carried it to the young woman, who held it in one arm while her remaining free hand made a series of small but complex movements as she started to walk. She exited the room, followed by her many figurines.

* * *

_The Hakurei Shrine_

Reimu laid down on the floor in the middle of several empty bottles, having drunk herself to a complete stupor. She had wanted to go search for Sakura, Syaoran and Tomoyo, but then realized that they could most certainly deal with any small fry youkai they found by themselves, and even if Reimu found them, then Yukari would instantly know it since they shared a connection trough her orbs while in Gensokyo. That's how she had tracked Reimu so fast when she returned. And without Yukari's support Reimu couldn't get them trough the barrier back to the outside world anyway. The shrine maiden could only hope the other humans would befriend some of the more friendly youkai and get their help.

Such was the drunk stupor of the shrine maiden that she didn't notice how a faint wave of magic from Sakura's last used card reached one of the mystic seals inside one of the deeper rooms of the the shrine. The mystic ripple was quite weak due to the distance it had traveled, but the seal was already strained due to the effort of containing a great power for so much time, and a strange reaction happened. The paper amulets broke and a dark cloud emerged, forming in a roughly humanoid shape with a long ghostly white tail instead of legs.

_Arghh after so many years I'm free! It's time to conquer Gensokyo!_

The coalescing figure let out a long maniacal laughter that lasted several seconds.

_But first, time to tease Reimu some more!_

The immaterial being flew across the shrine's corridors, summoning forth a long wand with a crescent moon at the tip in one hand and a rusty knife covered in dried out blood in the other. Eventually she found the fallen Reimu, too drunk to even notice what was hovering just above her, even as it spoke to the human:

_So weak, as always. I can't believe you're a shrine maiden. Hehehe. I guess I'll just have to tease you later. Hmm, I guess I may as well go check on my maid and disciple. They better not having slacked off. I wonder if that magic ripple came from either of them... Funny, I can't remember ever feeling anything like that, yet it felt quite nostalgic._

The ethereal being flew away from Reimu and out of the Shrine, rising trough the night sky of Gensokyo while grinning to herself.

* * *

_Somewhere else in the forest of magic, a few moments earlier_

Hidden among the trees stood a small brown western-style house made of wood, vines and other plants crawling all over the walls. The grass around it was covered in a variety of random, and old-looking objects from mail boxes to bicycle wheels to broken domestic electrical devices to fast-food mascot statues. A fallen sign on the grass said:

"_We'll do everything_

_Kirisame Magic Shop"_

Then an uprooted flying tree crashed down on its ceiling, making it partially collapse. A few moments later a blonde girl dressed in rugged white and black clothes came out of the front door and observed the damage with dizzy eyes, before shaking her fists in the air in clear anger while shouting:

_Can't an honest hard-working human even get a nice night of sleep? Ever since Reimu disappeared I've had double the workload to deal with! Somebody's gonna pay for this da ze!_

The girl then noticed a colossal tornado raging in the middle of the forest mixed in with several colored explosion, and she stood there for a moment observing the pretty fireworks before they subsided and the night became dark again, her eyes sparkling in admiration. Or greed. Perhaps both. Behind her, the fallen tree twisted and started to extend its roots towards her.

Without looking back, the blonde girl drew something from inside her clothes and pointed it backwards. From the small object that fitted inside her palm shot out a blue laser as wide as her arm that pierced the human-eating tree. The girl moved her pulse a little and the laser followed, cutting the youkai plant into blackened pieces.

_I guess I should go investigate that since I'm already up. I bet whoever did that should have something of interest da ze!_

The girl went back inside her house and searched among the rubble of the fallen ceiling some moments before retrieving a large black pointy hat and a bamboo broom along several glass flasks filled with glowing liquids. She stored them inside her clothes, placed the hat over her head, then mounted the broom and launched herself on the sky towards the area where she had seen the tornado happen.

* * *

(Review Reply:

SonicAnime2010: Thanks for the comments! Although ironically enough Youmu herself is quite scared of ghosts (ones that retain humanoid form that is, she's fine with the spirit ball ones). There's this cute arc on the official three fairies manga where even Marisa, Reimu and Sakuya scare the hell out of Youmu by disguising as different kinds of ghosts at night. I blame it on Yuyuko traumatizing the poor half-ghost with her constant pranks)


	11. Chapter 11

_The humans lost in the forest of magic_

Sakura, Syaoran and Meiling had sat down on the grass to take a breather from the short but intense battle, while Tomoyo reviewed the footage she had just recorded of Sakura going all out against the fairies.

_Ahhhh... Normally after a session like this I would get to rest on a soft and warm bed...But are even there beds in Gensokyo?_-complained Sakura while laying her back on the grass, watching the stars above her with a tired expression. One of them was her own personal star from which she currently gained her magic power, but she didn't really know which yet.

_Seemingly this area was sealed away from the rest of the world almost two centuries ago, when beds were an exotic luxury in Japan_-replied Syaoran, laying down by Sakura's side focusing on the almost full moon above, the source of his chinese celestial magic-_But many other objects and beings may've slipped inside over the years. Who knows what we'll find?_

_Sakura-chan's so cute when she's laying down with Syaoran-kun!_-squealed Tomoyo.

_Don't you ever run out of batteries?_-asked Meiling.

_I always pack extras. And I also carry around a solar charger. Nothing shall stop me from recording the lovely and wonderful Sakura-chan!_-grinned Tomoyo with an hint of malice.

Then above them a small humanoid figure started to materialize in the middle of the air:

_Observing everything from the sky, I'm Star Sapphire, the Pouring Starlight! Do you happen to need guidance, lost humans?_

The voice came from a new fairy slowly flying down from above. She had long brown hair, a blue ribbon attached to it, and yellow eyes. She wore a frilly blue dress with golden stars on it, having a white shoulder cloth and white long sleeves. She also had a small blue string attached as a ribbon at neck-level. On her back she had blue butterfly-like wings and wore sturdy-looking boots on her feet.

_Oh, another fairy... Mind if I exterminate her?_-asked Meiling, grabbing another needle and taking aim.

_You're starting to sound like that shrine yakuza..._-pointed out Syaoran to his cousin.

_No, it's alone-_interrupted the red-haired girl, standing up and making a short bow towards the fairy, still holding her wand_-I'm Sakura Kinomoto, the Card Mistress. Sapphire-chan, can you really help us? The other fairies we met so far were just a nuisance. You really want to help us, or are you just trying to set another stupid prank?_

_Ahahah, who, me? I'm not one of those idiot fairies who's always thinking about terrorizing human society, not me! _-nervously giggled Star Saphire-_Anyway I believe it's fate me and you met here like this. For you see, I'm a manifestation of the power of the stars, much like your own star magic I can sense in your being._

_Hoe?_

_Your magic level is clearly much greater than mine, but I believe I could still teach you a thing or two about star power. Would you make a contract with me?_

_A contract...?_

_Do it, Sakura-chan! A magic girl must always have devoted cute familiars!_-squealed Tomoyo.

_Doesn't Sakura-chan already have Yue and Kero for that?_-asked Meiling, suddenly remembering the two mystic guardians that had been left behind.

_Well, I wouldn't call them exactly devoted... One likes my stupid brother more than me, the other is always stealing my snacks and causing trouble. They're my friends, but they can be both really annoying. I've actually felt kinda relieved that I didn't have to deal with either of them anymore ever since I'm here..._-Sakura confessed with an embarrassed voice as she sweatdroped.

_That's right, a cute star fairy is much more appropriate to being Sakura-chan's mystic companion!_-encouraged Tomoyo.

_Yes, we fairies are really nice companions once you get to know us! Lots of people on Gensokyo have fairy servants!_-added Star Sapphire.

Sakura found herself somewhat tempted by that offer, as deep inside she did enjoy being a magical girl and was always looking for opportunities to learn more about her abilities. Besides, things had turned pretty well the last time she had accepted right away to make a magic contract from a small cute winged creature last time, didn't it?

_Ok, Sapphire-chan what do I need to do to make a contract with you?_

_It's simple, you just need to..._-A jufu fell over the fairy's dress and burst into flames-_AHH IT BURNS GET IT OFF ME!_

_Syaoran-kun, why did you do that to Saphire-chan?_-yelled Sakura at her boyfriend, currently with a frown on his face observing the panicked fairy struggling to to put out the flames with her hands.

_Just checking if she's all talk or not. If she can't even stand something like this, she doesn't have anything to offer you, really._-was Syaoran's calm answer.

Sakura started searching her deck for card to put out the fire on the fairy when a new voice interrupted her:

_Getting near you without a sound, I'm Luna Child, the Silent Moonlight!_

Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo and Meiling turned their heads to the side to see a new fairy with red eyes and yellow hair, arranged into six princess curls on both sides of her head, as well as having a pair of wings. She wore a a white and black dress with a few black ribbons at the front her dress, having short and puffy sleeves, with the lunar cycle represented at its bottom. She had a bigger black ribbon below her neck and and an even bigger one in her back. She also had a white shoulder cloth having black outlines, and a white beter with black ribbons attached on its sides. On her feet she wore a pair of gray slippers. She pulled a small card from her dress and chanted:

_**[Moon Sign] "Lunatic Rain"! **_

Glowing drops of water formed and fell over Star Sapphire, forming a soft rain that got her all wet but put away the fire on her clothes. Then the damaged fabric started to slowly repair itself before she spoke as the rain around her stopped:

_Ah, see, Sakura-chan, I'm not just any small fry fairy! I have quite a bit of experience, even able to take some punishment and quickly recover while under the light of the starry sky! You really won't regret making a contract with me!_

_Wait, before I insist to know what this newcomer is doing here._-frowned Syaoran some more, getting more suspicious every second about this strange new fairies.

_I'm sorry. Me and Star Sapphire just happen to be comrades._-calmly replied Luna in a monotonous voice-_ But it may be also fate that we meet here, Syaoran, since I'm a manifestation of the power of the moon, much like your own celestial magic..._

_And let me guess, you too now want to make a contract with me so you can help me better understand my magic?_-snickered Syaoran.

_Hmm, I guess yes... So, you accept?_

_Sorry, I don't trust any magic being that I haven't beaten up myself._

_I'm a magic girl and you trust me!_-yelled Sakura again with an offended tone.

_Ah... Well... That's kinda different... Since I kinda fell in love with you and everything...-_Syaoran started looking down and blushing. They had been rivals for quite some time. They had competed for the same goals. He had traded some moves with her brother and even burned his clothes out of spite. But the closest Syaoran had had came to a direct duel with Sakura was when Eriol controlled the chinese boy as a puppet to attack Sakura, and even then he struggled against attacking her all the way.

_Can't you see you're hurting Luna-chan's feelings? She just want to peacefully become your friend! Make a contract with her already Syaoran-kun!_

_I'm just trying to say, do you really believe one should make a magic contract just like that? This is, you thought long and carefully before becoming a card captor when you first met Kero, didn't you?_

Sakura retrieved one of her cards with its front hidden against her body, eyes glaring at the boy in clear anger as she blushed in embarrassment:

…_Syaoran Li... You idiot...You big idiot..._

_Sakura-chan's so cute when she gets angry at the one she loves most!_-whispered Tomoyo with a wicked grin on her face.

_...Crap... You did accept the contract right away, didn't you? ...Fine, as long as that makes you happy, Sakura-chan...-_sighed Syaoran, turning again towards the moon fairy-_So, Luna, how do we do this?_

_...Well..._-the fairy suddenly looked at a loss of what to do, avoiding everybody else's gazes-_Now that you mention it, how did all those other fairies made contracts again?_

Sakura, Syaoran and Meiling fell to their sides while sweatdroping.

_Huh...Ah... Oh, I remember now!_-said Star Saphire, pulling out a card of her own-

_**[Star Sign] "Twinkle Sapphire"**_

Large red balls of fire formed in mid-air and started to slowly float around the humans, leaving trails of sapphire-blue tiny glowing stars behind in a beautiful pattern. Sakura and Meiling were instantly mesmerized by it and innocently smiled, while Syaoran just frowned again and Tomoyo kept recording everything.

* * *

_Near by in the forest of magic_

The young blonde woman flew between the old trees without any kind of wings or wand, still holding the sealed tome under one arm and surrounded by dozens of tiny female humanoid figurines flying in perfect formation with her. The woman's eyes could see in the dark, but even then the forest was thick and it was hard to spot anything. Then she noticed a blue flash seemingly far away and stopped, pulling a card from inside her clothes and chanted:

_Target youkai. Ignore humans. **[Spy Sign] "Seeker Dolls" **_

The eyes of the figurines around the young woman started to glow red, and then they spread out away from her, swiftly flying forth between the trees towards the direction she had seen the flash coming from.

* * *

_In the clearing with humans and fairies._

_What do you think you're doing? That's just a normal danmaku spell!_-whispered Luna Child to Star Sapphire, using her power to make sure nobody else could hear their current conversation.

_Well, the humans don't know that. We just to put up a nice light show. Magic contracts always have pretty special effects after all._

_Where did you read that again?_

_Nevermind that, just play along or they'll exterminate us. _

_Ah, fine..._

Luna dismissed her power so the humans could hear them again:

_Do you, Syaoran Li, accept me, Luna Child, as your familiar and servant, in drinking and danmaku, until extermination pull us apart?_

_I do..._-replied Syaoran without much conviction, just wanting to get the current situation over with.

_And do you, Sakura Kinomoto, accept me, Star Sapphire, as your friend and fairy, in playing and pranks, until we get bored of it?_

_I do!_-energetically replied Sakura, still fascinated by the ongoing spell around her, whose star essence filled her with warmth and joy.

_Then I declare us masters and sla_-Star Sapphire's words were cut short by dozens of pairs of red orbs starting to glow around them from behind the shadows formed by the trees, and also from inside their canopies.

The next moment, dozens of scarlet beams seared the air of the forest clearing, creating a deadly net of lasers that struck the fairies multiple times but didn't inflict any harm upon the humans.

Meiling then saw a third fairy materialize just in front of her out of thin air, in a place that had been previously passed by several of the lasers. She had short red hair braided at the sides of her head with red ribbons, blue eyes, as well as a pair of transparent mayfly wings. She wore a red and white dress with long sleeves with red lines at their ends and frills, along with a pink ribbon attached at the top of the dress. She also wore black and white shoes, as well as a yellow neckerchief between her braids. The middle of her sleeves had red ribbons attached to them, and a white line at the bottom of her dress. Her clothing and skin had several burns from the places where the scarlet beams had seared her.

_A-Appearing when you least expect it, I'm Sunny Milk, the Shining Sunlight..._-managed to say the fairy before collapsing on the ground from her wounds.

The other two fairies were also left collapsed on the ground, and Sakura-chan sprinted near the star one, picking her up on her arms and hugging her tenderly.

_Sapphire-chan, are you alright? Say something!_

_Ack...Remember me, Sakura-chan..._-coughed out the wounded fairy as her eyes slowly started to close.

_Why did you do this? Reveal yourselves!_-shouted Sakura in anger, looking around at the many pairs of glowing eyes still observing them from the cover of the shadows.

Then said eyes started to move closer to them, prompting Syaoran and Meiling to assume combat stances and Tomoyo to step closer to them as they seemed to be completely surrounded. However as the eyes emerged from the shadows, it was revealed that they belonged to dozens of cute identical dolls with blonde hair tied up with red ribbons, blue dresses and white aprons, waving their tiny cloth hands upwards.

_Do you find this brutal evening likable?_-asked a new voice.

It belonged to a young woman that slowly floated inside the clearing, with short blonde hair holded by a red band. She had very dark green eyes, nearly black. She wore a light blue dress with long white sleeves and a pink ribbon going around her neck and another around her waist. On her feet she wore black boots, and on her arms she held a large sealed book. Sakura and Syaoran could feel a powerful magic aura coming from her. They knew that she could most probably feel their own magic auras.

_No, I don't enjoy seeing my close ones attacked out of nowhere again and again!_-cried out Sakura while looking with determination on her face at the newcomer.

_Neither do I. We just want a way out of this cursed forest._-added Syaoran in a more calm but equally determinated tone.

_Ah, magicians from a city sect. Forgive me my initial lack of manners. I'm Alice Margatroid, the seven-colored Puppeteer.-_replied the newcomer in a completely composed manner.

_I'm Sakura Kinomoto, card mistress!_

_I'm Tomoyo Daidouji, Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun's personal tailor and adventure recorder!_

_I'm Meiling Li, wonderful martial artist!_

_I'm Syaoran Li... But say, were you ever called the doll maker from __Bucuresti_?

_Correct, that's one of my previous titles. One tends to accumulate many names when they live long._-smiled Alice, her dolls floating returning to her side as their eyes stopped glowing.

_You know her, Syaoran-kun?_-asked Sakura.

_The Li clan records tell she was a great magician that existed in our world not very long ago._-started to explain Syaoran- _Her magic was quite strong, however she kept mostly to herself and rarely interacted with other people in any way outside a limited circle of friends. Then one night she and most of her magic material disappeared without a trace. Along with her seven closest companions. Never to be seen or heard of again._

_Ah, that brings back some memories..._-said Alice with a nostalgic tone- _But that's a tale for another time. This forest isn't safe for newcomers, even if they're magicians. Come, you can spend the night at my home. I'm used to giving shelter to lost humans I happen to find still alive around here._

_What about Sunny-chan, Star-chan and Luna-chan? They need treatment right now!_-asked Sakura.

_Take a closer look at them again, Sakura. They're fairies, they heal quickly. That's why you shouldn't trust them, they often forget that humans don't recover anywhere as fast as they do. Play with them if you enjoy it, but always make sure to don't allow their pranks to don't go too far._

Sakura looked down to take another look at Star Sapphire and observed that indeed all of the fairy's burns had healed away in both her body and clothes, and she was now hugging her back with a mischievous smile her face:

_Tee hee hee, it feels nice when you hold me like this Sakura-chan! It's almost as if I could directly feel your magic._

_I'm just glad you're okay, Star-chan..._-Sakura patted the fairy's head as if it was small child.

_Hey, why don't you worry about me as well?_-an healed up Luna flew up and hovered in front of Syaoran's face and frowned at him.

_Do you think I'm stupid? There's an almost full moon shining above us, I knew you would recover quickly._

…_You know, I was kinda hoping Sakura to hit you with that wand of hers after hearing that, but she's still all smiles and cheerfulness._

_Yeah, that's Sakura-chan alright. She's a bit on the dense side. But I learned to enjoy that side of hers._-whispered Syaoran towards the fairy.

_Hohoho, I feel like we may still believe a beautiful friendship between us, Syaoran-kun..._-grinned Luna.

_This one still seems pretty messed up_-commented Meiling, approaching and grabbing the red-haired fairy under her tiny arms before lifting her on the air, only a few of her burns healed, her limbs limping down without energy.

_Owww..._-groaned Sunny Milk in pain-_I'm a manifestation of the light of the sun, of course I'm weaker at night..._

_You did all these dolls, Alice-sama?-_asked Tomoyo, approaching and admiring their handwork closer-_Impressive, each has unique details that harmonize the collection. Your magic must be great indeed, to make them like this!_

_Oh, so you noticed those? You flatter me. Actually, I do my doll's bodies with just my hands and mundane tools. It's an hobby of mine when I'm not researching magic. I just use spells to make them move._-stated Alice without arrogance.

_Really...?_-Tomoyo's eyes started sparkling as she held one of the puppeteer's hand with both of her own-_Please teach me Alice-sama! I can make even more wonderful clothes for Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun if I learn your secrets!_

_...I'm sorry, but I'm still not confident enough on my capacities to take disciples under my wing. But if you can remain awake, I can teach you some of my sewing tricks over this night after we arrive at my home._

_Oh, thank you so much! Let's go right now!_-squealed Tomoyo in sheer happiness, starting to imagine just how much sewing experience Alice must have accumulated.

_So, do you live alone in this forest, Alice-sama?_-asked Sakura, starting to feel some fondness towards this elegant woman.

_No, my dolls keep me good company._-calmly replied Alice while petting the head of one of her closest figurines, that closed its eyes in apparent satisfaction.

_Still, don't you get lonely sometimes? Don't you miss human contact?_

_You mustn't consider me a normal human, Sakura._-calmly replied Alice

_Then you aren't normal?_-asked a somewhat confused Sakura.

_I'm normal, just not _human_! Geez, why do I have to keep repeating myself like this every time? Now enough chit-chat, follow me or stay here and get eaten by the next youkai you run into, see if I care..._-Alice lost some of her calm composure with that last exchange of words, as she turned away and started walking back inside the trees

_Can we trust Alice-sama, Star-chan?_-asked Sakura to the fairy that had escaped her arms and was now hugging her neck from behind.

_Yeah, she can be a bit cold sometimes, but she's a pretty nice youkai all things said._-replied Star Sapphire.

_Well, let's go then everybody! To the doll magician's house!_-commanded Sakura, her full cheerfulness back, pointing towards Alice and starting to march behind her with a confident smile on her face, followed by the other humans and fairies.

_Yes, let's all have a tea party!_-squealed Star Sapphire, riding on Sakura's shoulders.

_That Sakura girl sure is energetic..._-commented Luna with a faint smile as she kept flying near Syaoran.

_You get used to it._-said Syaoran on a low voice so only the moon fairy could hear-_ Also for the record, I still don't trust you, but Sakura-chan approves you so I'm gonna tolerate your presence. But the moment you pull anything that hurts her, I swear I'll make you all wish you could die for good._

_...And you're sure pessimistic. Do you ever relax?_

_When I sleep. After warding the area and checking for any dangers._

Luna smiled nervously and followed along silently while wondering what kind of situation she had gotten herself into.

_Hey, Tomoyo-chan, you don't mind if I keep this third fairy for myself, do you? I may get her to make a contract with me since Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun already have one of their own each._-asked Meiling, carrying the helpless Sunny Milk under one arm.

_Hohoho, by all means keep her, Meiling-chan. I'll be quite busy learning everything I can from this sewing mistress. That level of skill is more important to me than any kind of magic._-grinned Tomoyo.

* * *

_Some time later_

Alice's house was made of wood on a western style, painted white and with two floors plus a tower attic. The interior was stuffed with female humanoid dolls of all kinds everywhere. It gave the place a spooky if not creepy atmosphere. In particular because many of the dolls rose from their positions and started to take care of several domestic duties as soon as they entered, from cleaning the human's shoes and boots to opening and closing doors to preparing and serving them tea and cookies. Of course Sakura, Syaoran, Meiling and Tomoyo had seen much scarier stuff in their lives so far, so this environment didn't bother them that much.

Syaoran couldn't stop noticing some bookshelves filled with strange tomes that radiated a strong magic aura. Sakura couldn't stop noticing that although Alice didn't seem to do any work herself, her fingers had small white rings and were in constant movement, that the dolls on the house seemed to react to, rather than acting on their own will. Tomoyo couldn't stop noticing an old but well preserved mechanical sewing machine along several strange fabrics, accessories and fillings. Meiling couldn't stop noticing a large sack tucked at a corner filled with what seemed like gunpowder.

Alice didn't make any more questions, and the humans and fairies were initially too busy digging in the tea and snacks offered to them when they realized just how hungry and thirsty they were after all the recent action, so some moments of silence followed.

_So, Alice-sama, what did you mean when you called me and Syaoran-kun city-sect magicians?_-asked Sakura while sipping a cup of red tea while sitting on a sofa, Star Sapphire gulping down cookies at her right side and Syaoran at her left.

_It means you grew up on a proper, urban and civilized area, just like me. You know how to hold off your magic since you didn't use a single spell since we met, even if I sense a strong magic aura from both of you. Even if I live here nowadays, I haven't forgotten my heritage._-replied Alice sitting in a chair in the opposite side of a small table where the tea pot and snacks were kept, the puppeteer having recovered her composed elegance while her fingers dextrously worked on making four new dolls on her lap.

_It's very kind from you to give us shelter for the night, Alice-sama._-thanked Tomoyo sitting on another chair at the puppeteer's side, sipping tea from her own cup. For a change she wasn't recording Sakura with her camera, instead her eyes furtively observing the expert movements of Alice's hands making the dolls, taking mental notes on her sewing techniques.

_Oh, it was nothing, just common etiquette between fellow city-sect magicians.-_replied Alice

_Now, hmm... How should I put this..._-mused Sakura- _We are not from this place, Alice-sama. We're from the outside world. We were dragged to Gensokyo against our will and we would really like to get back. Could you help us with that?_

_I suspected as much, but didn't want to do any rude questions. Entering Gensokyo is one thing, exiting it is another. Not really my specialization, but I have some acquaintances that are much better versed on the matter. I would be willing to guide you tomorrow to one of them so you can speak to them. _

_We would be really grateful if you do that for us, Alice-sama!_

_Only doing the correct thing for fellow city-sect magicians in trouble._

_Sorry if this offends you, but all the other people from Gensokyo we've met seemed quite keen in forcing us to use our magic abilities. But you don't seem that much interested in our powers despite being a strong magician yourself. Why?_-asked Syaoran suspicious of all the generosity, just nibbling on a cookie for politeness sake, not really feeling hungry.

_I admit there's plenty of barbaric magicians of the untamed fields out there that want to prove their magic prowess to others or plain capturing other people's spells for their own. But we city-sect magicians are above such trifle matters, are we not?_-replied Alice with a tone of superiority, puffing up her chest.

_Hoe..._-Sakura made a nervous smile as she dared not reveal that she indeed had gone trough great pains to prove her magic prowess to others while taking other people's spells for her own.

_Now, excuse me if you think this is a rude question, but what is the relationship between you two, Syaoran and Sakura? It's quite rare to see magicians cooperating together, we're usually a solitary lot. You don't seem like mistress and servant either. Are you perhaps co-workers? Disciples from the same master? A temporary alliance for a common goal?_

_I love Syaoran-kun more than anything else and want to be together forever with him!_-stated Sakura without hesitation while smiling innocently, whereas Syaoran spit out the tea he had started drinking in the air. Some dolls quickly rushed to clean it up.

_Ack_-Syaoran coughed-_Sakura-chan, you can't just blurt out things like that in front of people you've just met!_

_Why, Syaoran-kun, don't you love me equally as well?_-Sakura now turned her head to look at Syaoran directly with a somewhat mischievous smile on her face.

_... I love you, Sakura-chan._-Syaoran let out after a deep breath.

_Again._-commanded the red-haired girl, widening her smile.

_...You're the one I love most, Sakura-chan. _-let out Syaoran in a clear tone, now more calmed down.

The card mistress hugged the boy and kissed him on the lips for a moment, before letting him go and staring at him with eyes full of emotion:

_It doesn't matter who asks, I've decided I'll always be completely honest about how I feel about you, Syaoran-kun._

_...You just enjoy seeing me embarrassed, don't you, Sakura-chan?_-sighed Syaoran, turning his gaze away.

_That too. You're just too cute when you're blushing, Syaoran-kun!_-giggled the card mistress.

_My, how lovely. Is sure nice to be young and still have such strong feelings for others. I can just wish you they'll hold up as you grow up._-replied Alice with a slight hint of irony, not stopping the work on her dolls for a moment during the whole exchange of words.

_Alice-sama, Sakura and Syaoran are both already very mature despite their young ages._-said Tomoyo in a cold, almost gelid tone although she smiled- _They surpassed a lot of hard trials together, put their lives on the line for each countless time other and forged a truly strong bond between their beings._

_Well, maybe I spoke a little out of place. I apologize. You too look like you quite a mature-minded young lady, Tomoyo._-said the puppeteer.

_I must say I've never seen you so talkative, Alice. You should show that side of yours more often._-commented Luna Child, that had been sitting on the sofa at Syaoran's left side munching on cake.

_That's simply because it's not everyday I get such cute city sect magicians that are worth having a civilized talk with, unlike some certain prank-loving fairies I could name._-snickered Alice.

Meiling, who had been slowly dozing off on a chair while holding a now sleeping sunny milk against her chest as a big doll after stuffing her stomatch, let out a big yawn before finally speaking since they had entered the room:

_Yeah, the talk and snacks are all pretty good, but perhaps we should call it a night and get some rest? I think we had enough action for this day._

_Ah, I apologize for my rudeness. You're still young humans, you need your proper rest. I'm afraid I don't have much on the way of guest sleeping rooms, but I can improvise something._-replied Alice, still working on her dolls.

Sakura let out a large yawn as well, suddenly noticing she was also quite exhausted but had been holding it off out of politeness.

_Hmm, yes, some sleep would feel really good now..._

Alice clapped her hands and some dolls entered the room, carrying wooden beds. Miniature, doll-sized wooden beds, that they placed .

_You trolling us, Alice? Even we fairies can't fit in those._-complained Luna Child.

Alice smiled while pulling a card and chanting:

_**[Testing] "Level Titania" **_

The beds suddenly started growing, until they became large enough to accommodate the humans.

_Oh, it looks just like The Big c..._-let out Meiling before being interrupted by an angry glare from Syaoran, basically telling her "Don't reveal any Sakura cards if we don't need to!"

_Hmm, you said something, Meiling?_-Alice turned her head towards the chinese girl.

_Haha, just saying that it like them big, beds that is, hahaha_-nervously replied Meiling.

_I'm developing some size manipulation magic to help me use my dolls. I can also miniaturize them for easier transport when I go out. But sometimes I get a strange feeling I had already refined this kind of magic at some point in the past, yet I somehow lost my notes on it... But I shouldn't bother you with such stories. I'll be taking my leave now, please rest well._

_Wait, Alice-sama! Mind if I try using that sewing machine of yours a bit?_-asked Tomoyo, standing up and bowing towards the puppeteer

_...Very well, if you aren't sleepy. I'll be by my room, but I'll also leave Shangai here with you, ask her if you need something, it's one of my best works._-Alice replied while a blonde doll with blue eyes, a large red ribbon in her long hair and a smaller one over her chest over a black maid dress with a white apron and holding a sharp-looking razor flew in the room. It made a long bow towards the humans before flying to sit on top of the tallest shelf in the room, where she had a good sight of everything inside.

_Shouldn't you rest with us Tomoyo-chan?_-asked Sakura before yawning again, sitting in one of the empty beds.

_There's something I need to take care of. Don't worry about me, Sakura-chan you and Syaoran-kun are the one who need to recover their energies._-calmly replied Tomoyo.

_But..._-Sakura tried to insist, but her brain was already too sleepy to think of anything else to say.

_Let her go, Sakura-chan. Tomoyo-chan is a smart girl and always knows what she's doing. If she doesn't want to explain why right now she must have her reasons._-said Syaoran, examining the sides of Sakura's bed, making sure there were no magic traps or anything, before checking the others and finally sitting on an empty one.

_Hmm...Good night, Syaoran-kun..._-Sakura fell asleep almost instantly as she laid down on her bed.

Star Saphire snuggled herself at the side of the card mistress, while Meiling was already snoring lightly over the sheets of another bed still holding Sunny Milk. Then as Syaoran laid face down on his bed, Luna flew down to his back.

_What do you think you're doing, fairy? This is my bed! Look, there's another empty one over there._

_That one is for the Tomoyo human. Besides we made a contract, close contact will help deepen our connection. Don't worry, it's not like I'm an actual human, I don't need any skin contact, just remaining near you._

_You're just interested in my celestial magic. I only made a contract with you because Sakura-chan insisted._

_If you're so suspicious of us, why did you let Sakura make a contract with Star Sapphire?_

_Everybody likes Sakura sooner or later. Even if that fairy has ill intentions now, she'll eventually become another loyal friend to her. She also has moon magic, you know? You should transfer your contract with me to her. Will save us both a lot of trouble down the line._

_Yes, I can feel some moon magic from her, but yours is much stronger._

_She also has sun magic. And star magic that is her current specialization._

_I can't really draw sustenance from those. But that reminds me something I once heard...The light of the moon is even superior to the light of the sun or the stars. A peaceful power, the colour of the heart, sorrows, the light of the moon is a light that does not bewilder anything. Come now, wake up. Why do you think we both are treated well by the light of the sun and the light of the stars? You shouldn't sell yourself so short._

_So you telling me that Sakura-chan only cares about my celestial magic? Geez, that's really inspiring, fairy..._

_Silly boy. You know that magic is strongly based in one's feelings. If your personality didn't match your celestial magic, then you wouldn't be able to make barbecue of so many of my cousins nor swing that big sword around like that. It is actually your metal element summon, isn't it? You should get a chant for it._

_...Whatever, I'll sleep at the feet of the bed and you stay there. That's close enough to you?-_said Syaoran as he got out of the bed and laid down on the wooden floor. His celestial training had included sleeping in the open wilds, so this wasn't something he minded that much.

Luna sighed and tucked herself inside the sheets, then looked down and noticed Syaoran staring at the sleeping card mistress

_Oh, I see now, you would rather be on the same bed as Sakura in Star-chan's position, wouldn't you? Pervert!_

Syaoran didn't say anything and just reached up with his arm holding a jufu that started to crackle with lighting right next to Luna's face.

_Ok, ok I get it, I'll go to sleep now..._

The room finally fell silent for a few moments, before Luna spoke again, this time using her power so that only the fairies could hear:

_Sunny, Star, you awake?_

_...Let me sleep... Not morning yet..._

_These are fun humans!_

_Sunny, you should make a contract with that Meiling girl!_

_...But she doesn't have any magic..._

_That just means it will be easier to pull pranks with her!_

* * *

(Author's notes: Yeah, Alice is renowned in Touhou for sheltering lost humans despite being a youkai. Also she's a city-sect magician true and through.)


	12. Chapter 12

_Some hours later, at Alice's house._

Sakura, Syaoran and Meiling were suddenly roused from their sleeps by a loud crashing sound much like someone kicking down a door.

_Here's Marisa! Anyone home da ze?_-shouted a strong female voice from the house's entrance.

_Can't you just knock on the door like a civilized person? And just what do you think you're doing here at this time of the night?_-asked back Alice's voice.

_You never answer when I just knock. And my house's been busted and I can't repair it while it's dark, I'm crashing here until morning if you don't mind da ze._

_Of course I do mind! And shouldn't you be searching for the culprit?_

_Tried, but couldn't find any clues. Too dark. Then I guess I'll just be crashing da ze. The guest room is over there, isn't it?_

_No, you can't go to that place!_

_Oh, you hiding something, Alice? Now you've made me curious. Some new magic project? You have to let me see! Hey, Alice, you know these basic dolls can't stop me..._

There was a sudden flash of light and a strong blast blew apart the door of the guest room out of its hinges. Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo and Meiling saw an humanoid figure enter. She wore a long black dress with white buttons and frills at the bottom, long white sleeves, a white apron below her waist, a green ribbon at her neck. Long, ondulated and messy blonde hair fell down her shoulders, the top of her head covered by an oversized lack witch hat with a white ribbon and a small golden star on top. Her yellow eyes were seemed to sparkle with power, and she carried a long bamboo broom over her shoulder.

_Alice, you old hag, you've been cheating on me?_- merrily shouted the newcomer in her strong voice- _I didn't know you liked them that young! And seems like you're going for the harem route at that! But wait, I can only sense magic from two of them... Gasp, Alice, I didn't knew you swinged both ways! It's like I never knew you at all da ze!_

_They're just guests! And how can I cheat on you in the first place when we don't even have a relationship?_-shouted back the puppeteer, once more holding her sealed book and surrounded by dolls readying a variety of miniature weapons.

_C'mon, we've both being living in this forest alone for years. Sometimes we have quarrels, but then we're flying trough the night sky together shooting danmaku as one and then we both sleep at my house..._

_That was because of exceptional circumstances!_

_...You offered me your own hand-made dolls to keep me safe when I had to go to hell..._

_I offered them because I couldn't go there myself and I needed you to succeed!_

_...Then those lovely magic tomes that you gave me out of your own free will..._

_As fair payment for your collaboration with me. I don't owe you anything._

_Geez, Alice, are you trying to say you want to cancel our wedding?_

_I don't remember you ever proposing to me in the first place._

_Ah, yes, I suppose I need to take that step before. So, Alice, want to tie up the knot with me?_

_Hoe?-_Sakura wasn't very sure what she was watching right now.

_Shhh, let Alice deal with this-_advised the fairies, having taken cover behind one of the beds.

_Looks like love problems in paradise! You have any idea who this Marisa may be, Syaoran-kun?-_whispered Meiling.

_Eeerr, someone who ate too many mystery mushrooms in the forest? Could explain her current behavior.-_whispered back Syaoran.

Meanwhile the youkai puppeteer silently reached inside her clothes and pulled a pair small dolls that looked just like Marisa and Alice, that flew from her hands and started floating between the two magicians.

_Aw,w, that's so cute of you! So shy that are you gonna let your dolls do the talking da ze?_-asked Marisa.

Then the Alice doll pulled a thin but long rope from her back and skillfully tied it up around the Marisa doll's neck in a noose, before quickly flying upwards. The Marisa doll frantically squirmed its tiny limbs for some moments before its movements slowed down and it become completely inert, just hanging down from the rope held by the Alice doll above that was nodding its head in approval of the result. The real Marisa's face suddenly became somewhat pale.

_This is the kind of knot I want to do with you right now, Marisa..._-slowly said Alice in a voice devoid of any emotion while her eyes stared at the floor-_Will you accept it, or will you exit now and stop bothering my dear city-sect guests? _

_Wait a moment, how do you know I'm bothering your guests?_-asked Marisa before turning her head towards the other humans whose brains were still trying to process what was happening in front of them.-_You don't mind if I hang here by tonight, do you ka?_

_...Who are you...?-_asked Sakura when adressed, yawning while her eyes were still half-closed.

_It's the wicked witch of the west of the forest!_-squealed Luna at her side with a fake scared accent while smiling.

_Flattery will get you nowhere with me da ze!_-grinned Marisa.

_She kidnaps children and cooks them in her cauldron!_-added Sunny, also smiling.

_They're full of important nutrients da ze!_-Marisa kept grinning.

_She's also a violent thief!_-continued Luna.

_Hey, I'm an archaeologist treasure hunter da ze!_-this time Marisa's face frowned.

_For magic's sake, can't you act like a serious, decent person for a single moment of your life? You're just embarrassing yourself._-said Alice with an annoyed face.

_Tsk, fine... I'm Marisa Kirisame, Ordinary Magician da ze!_

_Hoe...? There are ordinary magicians?-_Sakura's eyes starting spinning in confusion. Were they about to be cooked by a wicked witch?

_No, you're not a true magician... You're just an ordinary human._-stated Syaoran, standing up from the ground where he had been laying previously hoping the situation would solve itself on its own.

_What did you just said to me, boy?_-Marisa suddenly made an angry face and pulled out an hexagonal box with several carved linear runes, that started to glow while pointing it towards Syaoran's face.

_But I can sense strong magic from her, Syaoran-kun..._-asked Sakura with a confused face.

_No, Sakura,you can sense the magic from the magic items she's carrying. Specially that mini-Hakkero magical furnace she's holding right now. That's one powerful and dangerous item. But she has no innate magic of her own._

_Would an ordinary human be able to ever control an Hakkero, miniature or not? Then how about this ka?_-asked Marisa while pulling a card and placing it in the back of her Hakkero while chanting

_**[Unsealed Magic] "Open Universe" **_

The room grew dark for a moment, then the inhabitants of the room found themselves in the void of the space. Countless tiny stars surrounded them. They were flying at impossibly fast speed and passed trough nearby planetary systems. They flew trough nebulas and asteroid belts, kept up with comets, orbited planets and moons. They could feel the heat of the shining, blazing globes that they passed too close by. It was a marvelous breath-taking display, then it suddenly ended in a giant multi-colored flash and they found themselves back at Alice's guest room.

Sakura and Meiling and even Alice seemed impressed by the display, but Syaoran remained unfazed.

_Wow, that was... Beautiful, Marisa-chan! I don't really have any words..._-said Sakura with sparkles on her eyes.

_Yeah, you definitely can use some great magic!_-approved Meiling, her eyes also sparkling

_Thank you, thank you. So, you still have doubts that I'm a magician, boy?-_smirked Marisa in triumph_  
_

_Don't get me wrong. I'm sure you worked pretty hard to be able to master that magic furnace and use cards like that. But you still don't have any actual innate magic.-_calmly insisted Syaoran.

_What are you saying, Syaoran-kun? No way she could do something like that without being a magician, even if she has a powerful magic item! I know what I'm talking about, I asked everybody in the Li Clan about it, I read all the scrolls I could get my hands on!_-said Meiling.

_You tell him, girl!_-nodded Marisa.

… _The family lied to you. I lied to you. There is a way that even the most normal human can wield great magic, but it's kept as a secret in the deepest vaults..._-slowly said Syaoran, looking directly his cousin in the eyes.

_WHAT? WHY DIDN'T TELL ME EARLIER? TELL ME HOW! NOW!_-Meiling suddenly pounced over Syaoran and pinned him against the ground with all her might, years of buried, pent-up frustation of being considered the black sheep of the Li Clan for having no innate magic coming to the surface.

_Hard work. Hard, dangerous work. If one is willing to pour countless hours in reading ancient tomes, doing research and experiments, observing other sources of magic, collecting and experimenting with anything they can get their hands on, performing alchemy... This way even an ordinary human can control powerful magic..._

_I would've be willing to do all of that!_-cried Meiling, tears starting to form over her eyes as she tightened her grip on Syaoran's arms- _Why didn't anyone tell me! Why didn't you tell me? Do you think I can't do hard work? Do I look like a lazy person to you? Or perhaps you thought me a stupid muscle head, unable to learn anything but martial arts?_

_Because it's too risky! You saw how Sakura-chan struggled to master her own magic despite having great innate ability! If you're an ordinary human, a single mistake when trying to learn magic and you can die! And even if you survive, there's countless bad side effects to the human body for trying to follow that route! Horrible diseases, fast aging, soul corruption, it will only lead you to a miserable life down the line. In the past when humans could die overnight from a common disease and youkai openly stalked the world, then many deemed that an acceptable risk. But no more in the present day. That's why that kind of knowledge was sealed away. There was no need for you to risk or ruin your life, Meiling-chan. Kirisame risks her very life every time she uses magic. Her natural life span has probably already been significantly shortened._

Meiling let go of his cousin and stared at Marisa with watery eyes:

_Please tell me the true, Kirisame-sama... Please tell me how I can gain magic powers trough hard work..._

_I have no idea what you're talking about. For I am a pretty soldier of love and justice! Friendship, courage and other positive feelings are what power up my magic!_-grinned Marisa, rising her broom on the air as if it was a staff.

_B-But what Syaoran-kun just said..._

_Again, no idea. Never worked hard a single day of my life. I have fun all day around Gensokyo, riding on ma broom, making things explode on my whims, taking whatever I want, that is my carefree lifestyle, trusting just my natural talent, my hakkero, and my trusty broom da ze_

Syaoran sighed and pulled a jufu while Marisa was smirking at Meiling that was on the verge of tears.

_**Obey the command! Petals of wind, Come Forth!**_

The boy's wind magic caught Marisa by surprise, rising her long skirt and infiltrating inside. From the interior of the human witch's clothes the green wind pulled out some worn-out looking books, flasks filled with strange glowing liquids, and countless scrolls and pieces of paper filled with strange scribbles along several small and exotic objects like tiny wands and orbs.

_So, why does a pretty soldier of Justice and Love needs to carry around all that stuff?_-asked Syaoran as Marisa panicked for a moment, dropping on her knees to carefully gather the stuff she had just dropped.

_I'm a compulsive collector, that's all! What if I borrow some magic trinkets from here and there?_

_Let me help you with that...-_Meiling reached with her hand to grab a fallen flask.

_No, don't touch it like that!-_warned Marisa, but she was a bit too late as the liquid inside the container started glowing with intensity and Meiling could feel its temperature quickly rising.

Swiftly, Marisa swung her broom as a staff to yank the flask out of Meiling's hand and sending it crashing trough the window of the room, before it violently exploded in a large mushroom cloud over the grass in front of the house.

_I...I managed to activate it on my own..._-Murmured Meiling, noticing the palm of her hand now had small burns on it.

_Don't ever you ever touch a magic item that you don't know what it is for again, you hear me girl? You could've died just now, and gravely hurt your friends on the process!_-sternly yelled Marisa at Meiling while standing back up, having reunited all of her trinkets. The chinese girl felt silent and stared at the ground in shame.

_You carry such dangerous trinkets in your skirt?-_asked a surprised Syaoran.

_Don't try it at home, kids. Big sister Marisa is a trained professional.-_replied the witch, grinning again.

_Alice-sama, is what Syaoran-kun said true?_-asked Sakura in a serious tone.

_Yes, it is, Sakura. Marisa is the most damned stubborn human I've ever met_.-started to tell Alice- _She's been burning herself out from the inside for many years now, learning to use magic by any and all means short of sacrificing the lives of other humans. She steals magic tomes and trinkets at every opportunity, she challenges powerful youkai head on just for the chance of observing their magic first-hand, she's ridden that broom to the most dangerous corners of Gensokyo for simple rumors of hidden magic. Marisa even abandoned her own human family along the way. And she's been mostly focusing on destructive, combat spells in order to be able to fight youkais at all, so it's highly unlikely Marisa will still have enough time to be able to master life-extending magic to become a magician youkai like me. Marisa even refused to drink the elixir of immortality when she had the chance. A bit of a waste from a youkai's point of view, to see such a strong life force extinguish itself so fast._

_You abandoned your family out of your own will, Marisa-chan?_-asked Sakura with a sad expression.

_Nowadays, most humans in Gensokyo are nothing but a bunch of cowards, cowering behind the village's walls and kissing the youkai's feet in hopes they don't get eaten._-said Marisa, her face changing to one full of spite-_ My mother died in very strange circumstances, strong magic clearly involved, and what did my father do? He burned whatever magic books and trinkets he had at their shop and declared he would never deal in mystic merchandise again. Spineless scum. Just like the rest of the village. They make me disgusted. I despise them from the bottom of my heart. I couldn't bear even living near them so I left and never looked back. All I care nowadays about the humans in the village is they hiring me for well paid jobs or any interesting items they happen to find._

_What Marisa means is that she isolated herself from other humans so that that she can conduct her dangerous magic research without getting any others of her kind in danger_-added Alice still with an expressionless face- _When Gensokyo started there were many like her, but over the years they've either died out or given up on this kind of hard path, choosing to just enjoy a peaceful life. Ordinary humans trying to learn powerful magic has become a thing of taboo even here in Gensokyo. It is an harsh road that inevitably draws the attention of powerful and hostile youkai, and rarely leads to an happy end. Marisa alone follows this path nowadays as far as I know, not wanting to risk the lives of any of her fellow humans._

_Pfft, like I cared about others da ze!_-rebutted Marisa, grinning again.

_I remember you quite caring about a certain person, Marisa..._-started to say the youkai puppeteer.

_Not another word about that, Alice Margatroid, or I swear I turn this fancy house of yours into a smoking crater._-interrupted Marisa while glaring at the youkai puppeteer.

_So, Sakura and Syaoran, what do you think of this magician wannabe of the untamed fields?_-asked Alice turning towards the card mistress and her boyfriend- _She can be quite amusing, don't you think? Probably a side effect of her mind already being broken from all the insanities she's been trough. Marisa will surely soon get herself killed in one of her own foolish experiments or when her body finally breaks down from all the magic stress and damage that she's been piling up over herself, shouting nonsense like that all the way to her early grave, childless and alone. While we'll still have young bodies and true magic, Marisa will become nothing but a distant memory on our minds, that we may discuss while having tea and cake._

_Heh, that's where you're mistaken, Alice da ze._-smirked Marisa.

_Am I, Marisa? Mind explaining why to me? You barely mingle with the other humans nowadays. Most think you're a monster already. _

The black-white witch took off her large hat and inserted an arm inside it, pulling out a large tome, opening it in front of everyone. Inside its pages, neatly organized, there were description upon description of hundreds of spells. Marisa then started to talk with a clear sense of pride

_This is my own grimoire. Marisa's grimoire da ze. It is a compilation of all the magic I've observed over Gensokyo over my days. All my research, results and failures alike, resumed and simplified so even a beginner can understand them. Warnings, advice and guides on the proper use of magic of all kinds. I've already arranged for copies to start being produced and sold over the village. I plan on updating and releasing a new copy every couple of years or so. This is my child. This is the legacy I'll leave behind when I'm gone. For a better tomorrow where all humans can use magic more safely._

_...Are you being serious?-_asked a surprised Syaoran. For a moment he could've sworn that Marisa was actually being truthful.

_HAHAHA!_-laughed Marisa in an amused tone-_Perhaps I'm doing it just to increase my own power. Perhaps for profit, you can make a lot of money out of great books after all._ _Who knows? I'm already insane, didn't you hear? Gazed directly at the depths of hell and the true moon and paranormal horrors without protection and all that. But somebody has to at least try it. Magicians have always kept their research for themselves. Alice's grimmoire she always carries around is a thing of beauty, but she has only ever shown it to four beings that I know, and one of those is me. I guess that's one of the reasons science won on the outside world, scientists started to openly share their works and discoveries with each other da ze._

_Science can be safely used by others if the proper instructions are followed_-retorted Syaoran-_Magic is heavily influenced by the feelings of the user, for better or worst. Unfortunately it's usually for the worst. That's why so much of it had to be sealed away._

_So I heard. Laugh at me if you want for building my life upon only magic and dreams da ze._

_I won't. You clearly have worked very hard and endured great hardships to reach where you are. It's still an insane goal you've set for yourself. But it may not be too late for you yet. We're from the outside world. We plan on leaving Gensokyo. We can take you with us. With your dedication and modern medicine, you could still have a long and fulfilled life in the modern world, I'm sure of it._

_Leaving Gensokyo for the outside world you say? I admit I've wondered about that sometimes. Already been to Makai and even the Moon Capital, but an human dominated world should be a sight to see before I die...But alas I'm afraid I can't accept that offer yet. I still have many unfinished business in Gensokyo. New youkai keep appearing and somebody has to keep up the extermination efforts to keep them in check da ze._

_Sakura-chan, mind talking to her? People usually listen to you better than me._-sighed Syaoran.

_...Having something you're willing to put your life on the line for... That's something I can understand, Marisa-chan. I can only wish you that your dreams one day become reality._-was what Sakura said after some silent moments pondering her words.

_Ah, I knew you were a nice sweet girl, Sakura! I just want to take you home now da ze!_-Marisa approached the card Mistress and put her right arm around the younger girl's neck, pushing her face against the witch's waist while rubbing her head.

_Didn't you said your house was in need of repairs?_-smirked Alice.

_Pfftt, details.  
_

_Look, just leave now. You've made your points, but this children need rest now, and I doubt they'll be able to do that if you remain here. You can come back tomorrow morning if you want to talk to them again._

_Fine, I know when I'm not welcome in a place anymore. I'll just be taking this and leaving._-calmly said Marisa as she picked up Sakura and placed the red-haired girl over her shoulder, starting to walk towards the exit of the house while whistling, the card mistress too surprised by this sudden treatment to resist in any way.

Marisa had taken three steps before she had multiple sharp objects pointed at her face. One was Syaoran's summoned sword, another was a needle from Meiling, and the rest were from Alice's dolls miniature weapons that had were now floating in front of her.

_Eerr, can I take the boy instead then?-_asked Marisa making an innocent expressin.

Sakura squirmed and freed herself from Marisa's grasp, rolling to the ground before delivering a low kick to the witch's knee, making her flinch.

_Syaoran-kun's under my protection!_-declared the card mistress.

_Ow, fine, kidnapping humans is bad, I get it...Then how about a duel at least? Let me take a good look at that magic I can sense in you! For the sake of research?-_Marisa grinned widely.

_...If it helps you update your grimoire, I'll do it, Marisa-chan!_-replied Sakura, closing her fists in decision- _You'll help as well, Syaoran-kun, won't you?_

_No hard feelings if Sakura-chan captures your cards?_-asked the boy to the witch.

_I'm an insane and violent thief, not an hypocrite da ze._-smirked Marisa.

_Then I'm in. The more magic we take from you now, the slower you'll burn yourself out on the future._

_Hey, I'll fight with Sakura and Syaoran to_o!-screamed Meiling, roused up as well.

_Sorry, this will be a Magus Night, ordinary girls need not apply. Think of it as punishment for trying to snatch that bomb from me._-stated Marisa, and Meiling sat on her bed pouting

_Well, I'm going to thoroughly enjoy seeing you getting your ass kicked by a pair of city-sect magicians, Marisa.-_smirked Alice.

_Then you'll also have your ass kicked, since you'll be fighting with me da ze._

_I beg your pardon?_

_Of course, Sakura and Syaoran are a pair, so it is only fair we face them as a pair da ze!_

_You challenged them, not me._

_Ah, come on, Alice, you want to challenge them as well, don't you?_

_I have no idea what you may be insinuating._

_You keep that cold facade, but deep inside you enjoy a good duel as much as me da ze! You always making those cute dolls and filling them with accessories dreaming of how to use them in combat, are you not?_

_..Fine, I shall fight alongside you, Marisa but just so that Sakura and Syaoran don't grow bored too quickly from fighting a simpleton that just knows how to blast away._

_Don't forget us!_-said Star Sapphire, floating at Sakura's side.

_Yeah, we'll support our new masters!_-added Luna, floating to Syaoran's side.

_Hmm, still counts as two versus two. You fairies are such light weights that you don't really tip the scales. Actually you may be an handicap for them da ze.-_replied Marisa-_But whatever, everyody to Alice's courtyard so we can start some danmaku! This house just doesn't have enough space inside for a proper battle da ze!_

_Wait, I've got new customes ready for Sakura and Syaoran!_-interrupted Tomoyo across the corridor, recording everything with her camera.

_Geez, Alice, you building up provisions for winter or something?_-smirked Marisa.

_...Just how long have you been there, Tomoyo-chan?_-asked a sweatdroping Sakura.

_Ever since Marisa-chan blew up the door to this room. You handled the situation so wonderfully that I though there was no need for me to intervene._-innocently replied Tomoyo.

_So that's what you wanted my sewing machine for... And what is the reason for changing your garments before a magic battle, may I ask?_-questioned Alice.

_Didn't you hear, Alice? It's the latest fad of magic girls on the outside world, all the cool kids change their dresses when an enemy appears! It's supposed to include a fancy light show with special poses and everything or so I heard!_-grinned Marisa.

Tomoyo meanwhile dragged Sakura and Syaoran to a pair of other rooms in the house and handed them their new clothes before closing the doors and then standing guard in front of them.

_Wait, no clothes transformation light show?_-asked Marisa in a disappointed tone.

_Sakura-chan is the best magic girl there is, but even she isn't perfect. But rest assured, I've been researching for 3 years now the best way to change your clothes with magic and I believe I'm pretty close to a breakthrough in this field._-explained Tomoyo with a professional smile.

_...Ah, whatever, gonna to do some warm-ups da ze. Mind setting up some of your dolls flying for target practice, Alice?_

_What about I set up my dolls to use you as a target practice, Marisa?_-coldly replied the youkai puppeteer.

_Fine, I'll just use those fairies over there da ze!_

Star Sapphire and Luna sweatdropped as Marisa pointed her Hakkero at them, then started to fly away at top speed while screaming in panic as the witch started shooting lasers at them. Sunny Milk meanwhile had discretly turned herself invisible and was laying still, no energy left to cover her companions as well.

* * *

_In a dark library in Gensokyo_

The pale girl with purple hair, eyes and pink pajamas was back on a comfy armchair, surrounded by tomes, and tried to turn another page from the book she was now carefully reading on her lap, but had another extreme cough attack.

_There's no time to search through all these books! I must go get the cat to help me...  
_

She then closed the book, tucking it over her arm and proceeding to float over the bookshelves.

* * *

_The lake on top of the tallest mountain on Gensokyo._

Kanako floated above the water, surrounded by dozens of flying black crows:

_No sign of that Kinomoto human yet?_

_Nope, oh great goddess!_-replied one of the crows.

_And you call yourselves tengu?_ _Are you not supposed to be nimble information corps?_

_Well, oh great goddess, an evil unknown spirit appeared and has been rampaging all over the skies of Gensokyo tonight._ _It's quite hard to fly anywhere at all as soon as you exit this mountain. Tenma says that your promised payment right now isn't enough for this kind of work._

_Agh, fine, contact your boss. Tell him that his extra conditions are accepted and to deploy your best agent. Your very best. You know the one I'm talking about. Our shrine must find Sakura Kinomoto first. It is somewhat of a shame that Byakuren let her slip through her fingers, but this presents an unique opportunity to boost our faith beyond our wildest expectations..._

* * *

(Author's notes: Ah, Marisa. Compulsive burglar and liar to the end, almost always hiding her true hard-working nature. And also the character closest to us normal humans according to Zun's own words. Well I guess Zun is pretty hard-working himself having made so many games solo, and also loves to troll us fans with contradictory facts. I always wondered how Marisa would react to the way magic is depicted in modern magic girls shows... "In my time, we had to go out there to a monster-infested forest to collect hallucinogenic mushrooms and then cook them for hours to power up our magic artifact! And we liked it!"...Nah, that kinda sounds too much like an old lady)


	13. Chapter 13

Sakura was now dressed on a long and regal pink dress, together with large white frills at the end of her sleeves, skirt and neck, and a fluffy light red cape over her shoulders and back. Her chest and shoulder areas had several dark red hearts made of cloth and stitched in and in the head she had golden beret with tiny red ribbons. The girl's face was one of decision, ready for anything.

At her side was Syaoran, dressed in bright green clothes whose shapes and patterns resembled a suit of medieval armor, along with several tiny black and white swords made of clothe stitched over his arms and chest. The boy's face was too one of determination, prepared for their incoming duel.

_So that's what magicians from the outside world wear to fight other magicians?_-asked Luna, floating by Syaoran's side.

_With clothes like this, there's no way we can lose!_-squealed Star, hovering by Sakura's side.

_Queen of Hearts Sakura, the card mistres and Knight of Swords Syaoran, her shield! Since we're met Alice in this wonder land of sorts I thought this would be appropriate! You both look so wonderful!_-explained Tomoyo proudly, holding her camera.

_Yeah, you both look cute and all, now aren't you missing anything else? A tome or wand or whatever your magician's main tool is ka?-_asked Marisa, flexing her neck around, while Alice stood silently by her side, holding her tome without any expression on her face.

Sakura pulled the star key from her neck covered in queen frills and chanted:

_**O Key that conceals the power of my star, reveal your true nature to me, by my power I command you! Release! **_

Spinning her wand around herself a bit for warm-up, Sakura held it with both hands and declared:

_I'm ready! _

_This is my magic wand._-said Syaoran, slashing the air in front of him with his sword.-_I'm ready, but_ _ladies first._

_Quite city-sect from you, but even then it's a bit of a stretch to call Marisa a lady..._-sighed Alice, holding her face with a hand.

_If you don't move, I'll shoot then.-_grinned Marisa, mounting her broom and kicking herself up, starting to fly through the air, while pulling a card from inside her hat and placing it on the back of her magic furnace.

_Oh, so Kirisame still has to ride a flying stick to fly. And I here thinking only little girls who have started to learn magic did that._-snickered Meiling.

_It's only natural that Marisa-chan isn't as wonderful or talented as Sakura-chan._-commented Tomoyo.

_Hey, don't tease Marisa-chan just because she still only knows how to fly like that!_-shouted Sakura-_I'm sure she's still trying her best here!_

_W-what are you saying? This is the classic way a magic girl should fly! Don't you have any respect for tradition?-_frowned Marisa_-Let's get started with maximum firepower da ze! _

_**[Love Sign] Master Spark!**_

From Marisa's mini-hakkero furnace shot forward a freaking huge magic laser, bright with at its center at with the colors of the rainbow at its edges.

_**SHIELD! RELEASE!**_-Sakura managed to call her top defensive card just in time, protecting not only herself but Syaoran and the fairies as well.

_Such strong power of love... But my feelings for Syaoran-kun... Are stronger than Marisa-chan's feelings for Alice-sama!_-declared Sakura concentrating on The Shield to resist the devastating attack upon them.

_Well, that isn't that hard, since they're just friends at best. Marisa just loves to tease Alice whenever they meet. Marisa's best sparks I've seen only come out when she's near a certain other person._-commented Star Sapphire.

_Hoe...Who then?_

_Focus on the battle, Sakura-chan. Marisa can't keep that kind of spell for much longer. As soon as it subsides, we'll change to the offensive...-_sighed Syaoran

The very ground around them shaken as the Master Spark persisted for some more seconds, covering all the area around the magic dome with blinding white light. When it subsided, they saw the ground around them had been reduced to a smoking crater.

_Allow me to remind you they're still just human children and not youkai.-_chastised Alice to Marisa for her brutal display of power.

_Humans, youkai, I blow them all up the same.-_smirked Marisa as her mini-hakkero was left releasing smoke and leftover magic traces.

_**Obey the command! God of thunder, Come Forth! **_-chanted Syaoran stepping out of Sakura's Shield and lacing a jufu over his sword, shooting several lighting bolts against the blonde magicians.

Star Sapphire and Luna Child giggled and joined the boy in his attack by launching several blue and yellow magic bullets from their hands, although their aim proved lousy at best and all scattered harmlessly around.

_**[Blue Sign] "Benevolent French Dolls**_-Alice pulled a card of her own and it transformed in dozens of tiny puppets with azure dresses and blonde hair that circled around her and Marisa, absorbing Syaoran's attack. The dolls were turned to ashes from the thunders striking them, but more materialized from Alice's hands to as fast as they were destroyed to keep blocking the attack.

Sakura dismissed her Shield and pulled a new card, swiftly activating it with her wand.

_Capture them all!** WOOD! RELEASE!**_

Long and flexible vines covered in leaves sprouted from the ground all around Alice and Marisa, rising in the air and forming a closed dome around the magicians and dolls, then they started to tighten up the trap. However suddenly violet flames burst out from inside the closed vines, swiftly spreading out and burning them all to ashes.

_Please, Sakura, I live in the forest of magic. I have to deal with this kind of thing every day before breakfast when I go mushroom collecting. Burn da ze!_-The source of the violet fire proved to be Marisa's mini-Hakkero, spouting out a torrent of of the magic flame upwards that almost miraculously didn't burn her own clothes or hair due to the proximity, then the black-white witch pointed it down and the flames descended upon the surprised card mistress.

_**Obey the command! Water Dragon, Come Forth!**_-Syaoran managed to pull one of his jufus in time and release a stream of water to counter Marisa's violet flame.

Alice didn't lay idle however as she replenished her blue dolls lost to the vines and subsequent burning, and they proceeded to unleash a continuous barrage of red magic bullets. And then those bullets shot more bullets of their own. Luna Child and Star Sapphire tried to counter the incoming barrage with their own bullets, but their shots were just too few compared to Alice doll's multiplying attacks.

_**SHIELD! RELEASE!**_-Sakura could've used another card to retreat, but that would've meant leaving the faeries and Syaoran behind to their fate, so once again she resorted to her defensice card.

_Hey, that's really lame, Sakura. You can't just play on the defensive da ze._-taunted Marisa, stopping her fiery assault.

_No, Syaoran-kun was right... You're burning yourself pretty quickly in this battle, Marisa-chan, I can feel your magic energy has already dropped below half, and I still have plenty. I don't need to hurt you to win this, just to outlast you, Marisa-chan._

_Oh, aren't you a cheeky little magic girl? But you know, Sakura-chan, your Shield has a glaring flaw. You can see me. I can see you. It means some light is still getting through. And lasers are made of light. I just need to focus on the right wavelength...-_Marisa pulled another spellcard and placed it behind her mini-hakkero.

_**Narrow Spark!**_

Marisa's magic furnace started to glow with a blue light.

_Hoe...?_-Sakura didn't really understood the witch's speech, never being that good at science. But when a sapphire beam shot from her magic furnace towards her, Syaoran pulled her to the ground, and the card mistress could see how the new laser passed trough her Shield as if it wasn't there, burning the left arm of Star Sapphire, who had remained at her side, to a crisp. At least it had a much smaller width and duration than her Master Spark.

_Owowow, Marisa always has this crazy spells..._-whined Star Sapphire as her arm regenerated under the light of the night sky.

_How could she...-_asked Sakura with confused eyes.

_You can't trust the Shield against this opponent, Sakura-chan. But you're right Kirisame doesn't have that much magic left, we'll just have to dodge whatever she has left.-_said Syaoran as he helped her get back up.

_Marisa's pretty darn good at offense and learns patterns quickly, you can't dodge her forever, but she doesn't have much for defensive magic. If you can get close to her, she's just a regular human...-_advised Luna.

_Yes, stay just there, it's like shooting fishes in a barrel da ze!_-grinned Marisa as she charged up another Narrow Spark, Sakura, Syaoran and Star Sapphire seemingly with nowhere to run as the Shied around them was battered by the shots from Alice's dolls.

_Sakura, if you can get close enough you should be able to overpower Kirisame. All that blast magic certainly isn't suited for close combat._-said Syaoran.

_But if we try to get out or I drop the Shield, we will be hit by those..._-said Sakura with a sad look on her face, looking around as she stood up again, red bullets exploding all over the barrier protecting them-_If that would just stop for a few seconds it would be enough..._

_Don't worry, Sakura-chan!_-smiled Star Sapphire, pulling a card from her skirt-_If it's just a few seconds you need, I can get you that!_

_Why the sudden sense of self-sacrifice? Usually you worry first about saving your own ass._-asked Luna Child with a suspicious face.

_Helping to defeat a big name like Marisa is well worth getting blown up a few times._-smiled Luna.

_But I don't want you to get hurt for me, Star-chan..._-said Sakura.

_She is a fairy, Sakura-chan. Immortal, regenerates. Also we don't have much choice but trust her now...-_frowned Syaoran.

_No escape for you now MUHAHAHA!_-laughed Marisa as she unleashed a bigger Narrow Spark, wide enough to leave no dodging space inside The Shield area.

Almost Simultaneously Sakura dismissed The Shield and Luna activated her card

_**[Starlight] "Star Laser"!**_

A dense sphere of blue bullets formed around them and expanded outwards, clearing away Alice's red bullets in a series of explosions that filled the area with a series of right flashes, quickly followed by a barrage of yellow lasers that destroyed several of Marisa's dolls! However this spell quickly came to an end as Marisa's latest spark cleared a path towards the concentrating Star Saphire and vaporized her, but the the two other humans and the other fairy were no longer near her.

_**FLY! RELEASE!**-_from the midst of the the explosions rose Sakura, now with large white feathery wings growing out of her back, spreading them open and launching herself towards Marisa.

_See, Marisa, that is a much more elegant way of flying-_smirked Alice, rearranging her dolls.

_Pft, I'll show her to properly dance in an aerial battle.-_smirked back Marisa as she aimed her Mini-Hakkero at the card mistress and started shooting thin and fast lasers out of it, that the winged girl managed to dodge while still flying closer to the witch.

Alice moved her fingers to have her dolls aim upwards towards Sakura, but then she felt some more of them being destroyed. The youkai puppeteer turned around just in time to see Syaoran dashing towards her at great speed, using his sword to cut down the blue dolls in his path without a single sound. Behind him followed a smiling Luna, using her power to silence his movements and cover his approach as Alice's focus had turned towards Sakura. Alice pulled more dolls between them, but Syaoran also slashed them down while closing in with clear determination on his eyes.

_Oh, so you are a Magic Knight alright. In that case I don't need this dolls anymore._-smiled Alice while pulling another card and chanting:

_**[Magic Sign] "Artful Sacrifice" **_

A doll to the right of Syaoran started glowing, and the boy's battle instincts told him to jump back. The next split second, the doll exploded violently, blowing up all the other nearby blue dolls together with it! Alice wasn't done yet as she pulled another card:

_**[War Sign] "Little Legion" **_

The card formed in a new batch of winged dolls, this time each armed with a long sword taller than itself, and Alice's fingers started moving faster, positioning the dolls in multiple squares around her:

_..Ranks of five, Agmen Quadratum formation...Charge!_

Syaoran had barely recovering his footing from the explosion's shock wave when the formed up dolls were upon him, flying at great speed while swinging their swords in perfect synchronization. The boy managed to parry most of them by using his own bigger sword as a shield, but several of the dolls spread out and surrounded him, managing to bite his flanks with their relatively smaller but quite sharp weapons. Tomoyo's costume managed to prevent any serious wounds, but he was still hurt.

_Nothing is better than strength in numbers. Big things are combined small ones!_ -grinned Alice as she observed Syaoran forced to step back again and again to avoid getting himself completely surrounded by the sword-swinging dolls.

_Above the forest of magic._

Sakura was flying as fast as her wings could carry her, yet Marisa easily kept a constant distance between them as she flew away riding her broom sideways, allowing her to keep her small laser bombardment upon the card mistress.

_What are you waiting for, Sakura? Show me your lasers da ze!_-taunted the witch.

_Marisa-chan, I don't have any laser..._-started saying Sakura, then something struck her mind and she pulled out a card and threw it in the night sky-_Well, if you insist, I do have something... __**SHOT! RELEASE!**_

As it was struck by the wand, the card transformed into a pink body of light that started firing out beams of pink energy. Marisa flew her broom faster to move out of their trajectories, but then they started to become increasingly more accurate with each attack.

_Hehehe, what cute little lasers, I guess it fits a cute little girl like you, Sakura. But what about this big girl's laser da ze?_-taunted again Marisa as she pulled another card and placed it behind her mini-hakkero.

_**[Perverse Love] "Easy-Harvest Master Spark"!**_

Double green and purple magic circles formed in front of Marisa, and trough them she shot a narrow white beam from her magic furnace. Sakura easily dodged it. Then the beam started quickly expanding wider, faster than what she could fly away. Still Sakura smiled as she dismissed The Shot and pulled another card, hitting it with her wand:

_**MIRROR! RELEASE!**_

The magic glass formed in front of Sakura just as the Harvest Master Spark was about to hit her, reflecting it back upon its caster. The night sky was filled with light for a moment as the massive laser flew into space, and then there was no sign left from Marisa besides leftover magic, that Sakura hurried to capture:

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Marisa card!-**_chanted the Card Mistress before picking her new acquisition.

_Turning one's spells back at them... I'm starting to like you more and more, Sakura da ze!_-said a familiar voice behind her.

Sakura turned around to see Marisa in the opposite direction she was a second ago. Her clothes and face skin were lightly singed but otherwise she seemed unarmed, besides being breathing harder than before.

_How... Can you teleport?_-asked a dumbfounded Sakura, who was sure that the reflected spark had struck Marisa head on.

_Nope. Don't have barriers or subtle manipulation or regeneration or invulnerability either. I can dish out the hurt but I can't really take it. So how do you think I've made myself a big name as a magician in combat? _

_I don't know... But I won't give up!** WINDY! RELEASE!**_-Sakura unleashed her first card upon the witch.

_The answer it's simple... I'm the fastest thing in the skies of Gensokyo!_-grinned Marisa as she stored her mini-hakkero inside her clothes, grabbing her broom with both hands, then suddenly launching herself upwards like a rocket, outpacing the Windy's green tendrils of air trying to catch her.

* * *

_In front of Alice's house_

Syaoran was getting the hang of Alice's pattern, predicting how her sword dolls would attack, parrying and dodging as needed, not forced to retreat anymore, while Luna simply observed and chuckled from above, no longer silencing his movements to save up her magic.

_This is feeling more like a ritual dance than a duel..._-said the boy, swinging his blade in a wide arc to push them away-_You're holding back, aren't you Margatroid? You still haven't opened that book radiating powerful magic and only use those dolls of yours. _

_How rude._-smiled Alice-_You're also holding back. Only using your sword and those basic chinese amulets, when I can sense much greater magic on you. But it is more pleasant this way, isn't it, Syaoran? If one is __defeated using their true strength, then there would be nothing left afterwards. _

_...I just need to delay you. Sakura-chan is more than capable of dealing with an ordinary human. Once she's captured Kirisame's cards, she can come for yours._

_Hohohoho, I'm afraid you're understimating Marisa quite a bit. I can't blame you for that, she is but an ordinary human indeed. But she can be quite... Resourceful._

Syaoran didn't reply and pulled a jufu

_**"Obey the command! **____**Water Dragon**__**, Come Forth!" **_

A dual torrent of water shot from each end of the paper, drenching the dolls and pushing them away while revealing the shape of the invisible strings connecting them to Alice. Syaoran slashed with his blade at them, but his blade harmlessly passed trough them.

_The strings that attach the body and soul are the same as the ones that control my dolls. Both are strings of the heart that cannot be cut. _-explained Alice while pulling another card- [W_**ar Command] "Doll's War"!**_

More dolls jumped out from the card, carrying a mix of axes and spears, joining the ranks of the sword-wielding ones and creating a more dense formation with which they restarted their assault on Syaoran, who found himself struggling once more.

* * *

_Above the Forest of Magic._

Sakura watched in awe as Marisa flew at overwhelming speed trough the night sky around her, performing a circle trajectory.

_Can you do this with those fancy wings of yours? __**Witch Leyline!**_-asked Marisa as she leaned her body closer to her broom and placed a card on it, suddenly speeding up even more as she left a trail of blue stars behind her. Flying straight at the red haired girl!

As Sakura realized that Marisa was closing in to ram her with the rocketing broom, she tried to fly out of the way, but the witch simply corrected her trajectory to home in against her. The card mistress only managed to bend her body so that tip of the bamboo tool hit the side of her chest inside of her face, the impact sending her crashing trough the air.

_Ah...That really hurt..._-said Sakura as her wings unfurled at full to stabilize her flight and she rubbed the pained area with her free hand, holding her wand to recall the Windy, that was simply unable to keep up with the witch's speed.

_Oh, still able to talk back? That should have broken a few ribs at least... I didn't sense any barrier, so some sort of shock-absorbing fabric? I'm sure I already saw something of that caliber before... No matter, you don't look like you can take another one of these da ze!-_declared Marisa with a wicked smile as she started speeding up towards Sakura once more. The witch saw her pull another card, but didn't change her course, confident that she would impact before whatever spell the red-haired girl was trying to use could take effect.

_**TIME! RELEASE!**_-The world instantly turned a pale yellow around Sakura, Marisa's immobilized bamboo broom touching her face, the witch's face frozen with a terrifying grin as her unmoving eyes stared directly at her.

The card mistress tried to pull another card, but the concentration needed just to keep The Time active was too much. She could even barely move. Sakura knew that she had scant seconds to do something before she fainted from trying to keep up this spell, so she reached her hand out towards Marisa's broom.

* * *

_In front of Alice's house_

Suddenly the incoming dolls with a series of sharp implements coming at Syaoran froze in mid-air and the world turned to shades of yellow. The boy instantly knew that Sakura had just used The Time, keeping him out of the time freeze as well. That Marisa seemed to be proving quite a powerful opponent after all. Syaoran knew that he had just a few seconds so he leaped over the dolls and approached Alice. He knew that trying to inflict harm to something that was frozen in time was impossible, otherwise there would be little reason for he to use any other magic when it belonged to him. However there were other things he could do. Syaoran had noticed the puppeteer rings she had in her fingers that kept moving during battle. Swiftly, he pulled them out of her hands, then raised his sword in position to strike.

As he did so returned back to normal, and as it did so the doll soldiers fell to the ground while Syaraon brought down his blade over an Alice oblivious to the change. There was no hesitation in his movement for he knew she was a youkai. She wouldn't die from that. However at the last moment a tiny doll jumped from inside Marisa's blouse holding a razor that it used to parry the sword. Then the stringless doll started glowing red, then shot a scarlet beam towards a surprised Syaoran, that fell on the ground dodging the point-blank attack.

_Hmm...What did just happen?_-Alice seemed to be realizing something strange had just happened as she realized her fingers were now naked while Shangai went after Syaoran swinging her razor wildly-_Time manipulation magic? Unusual._

_If you can make dolls move on their own, why do you use strings in the first place?_-asked Syaoran, managing to slice the shangai doll in half before it reached him, then jumping back to his feet.

_For now I can only automatize some of their actions. It is quite limited as you can see, they don't fight nearly as well when I'm in direct control. And now I'm without my strings, oh dear..._-Alice started pulling inanimate dolls from inside her shirt with her hands, clutching them tightly between her fingers. Then she started throwing them directly at Syaoran! The boy decided it was best not to be near those and jumped away. It was the right decision because each of the lifeless dolls detonated violently upon touching the floor!

_You also carry explosive things inside your clothes?_-asked a dumbfounded Syaoran as he leaped away from the incoming cute bombs.

_Where do you think she learned how to cram volatile magic inside of other things from?_-smirked Alice, now with an half-insane look on her eyes as she kept throwing her explosive dolls nonstop, making it impossible for Syaoran to approach.

* * *

_Above the Forest of Magic, just after time had resumed to flow normally._

Marisa kept going forward full speed, but her Sakura was nowhere in her line of sight anymore. Then the witch heard her voice from behind her:

_**Card created by Shou Toramaru, abandon your old form and reincarnate under the name of your new master, Sakura! **_

Marisa turned her head to see that Sakura had moved pretty far away from her while time had stopped (although the witch hadn't noticed how yet), now casting a spell-no, changing it. Transforming it to a new form of her own. Something that Marisa had done quite a bit herself. But the card mistress was doing it in a matter of seconds. Seems like she didn't have that title for nothing. Marisa turned her broom around as fast as she could to home in against her again, but Sakura still had enough time to chant:

_**[Light Sign] "Aura of Justice"!**_

Golden pillars of energy descended from the sky in a circle around Marisa, converging towards her and forming a cage, forcing the witch to stop or get burned!

_Please give up, Marisa-chan. -_said Sakura, holding another Card in her hand at the ready.-_I can barely sense any magic left on you._

_Ah... Ah... Like hell I'm gonna be beat by light magic da ze!_-Marisa was left breathing hard after canceling her leyline magic, but still she pulled another card and placed it at the side of her mini-hakkero-_**[Love Sign] "Non-Directional Laser"!**_

_**MIRROR! RELEASE!**_-chanted Sakura as soon as she heard the word "laser" again.

However what shooted from Marisa's magic furnace were not one but ten lasers of different colors, spinning wildly around her. Their erratic trajectory reflected from Sakura's magic glass and scattered in all directions except back at Marisa while created an opening on the pillars of light trapping the witch, which she used to escape.

* * *

_In front of Alice's house_

The duel between Alice and Syaoran was interrupted as purple laser cut a swathe on the area between them, soon followed by a yellow one at their side and then a green barely grazing Alice and even more lasers of other colors followed.

_Damnit Marisa, would it kill you to aim your spells!_-shouted Alice at the point in the skies where the lasers were coming from.

_Fairy, private talk now!_-shouted Syaoran to Luna Child, taking advantage her opponent was distracted, although the lasers erratically raining down from above meant he couldn't counter-attack properly. And also that Sakura was in trouble.

_Communications secured boss!_-replied the moon fairy, making sure their voices couldn't reach anybody else again.

_If you have any magic that could get me up there, use it now!_

_I got just what you need!-_grinned Luna Child while pulling a card and chanting:

_**Moon Sign "Luna Cyclone"! **_

Syaoran saw several yellow balls of energy forming around him and start moving in a circlar pattern and upwards, creating a powerful wind current that lifted him towards the skies.

Alice frowned at her opponent running away, but didn't say anything as she stopped throwing dolls and went to retrieve her puppeteer rings from the scorched grass.

* * *

_In a dark library in Gensokyo_

The girl in pink pajamas was floating between the seemingly endless bookshelves when something suddenly swooped in from above. A little girl with blue hair and red eyes, dressed in an elegant pink dress, long black bat wings attached to her back. As she spoke, she revealed a pair of sharp canines among her upper teeth:

_Remember the outside world we used to live on before coming to Gensokyo, Pache?_

_Yes. Lots of old magic there to research, Remi. By the way, did you see our cat? I've sensed some strange magic disturbances recently, so I would like to send her to investigate.  
_

_You mean the human? She's busy with dinner right now. Anyway do you recall why we had to leave the outside world?_

_...I don't actually remember. I helped with the ritual to carry the mansion to a bunch of places before reaching here, but the exact reason why evades me. I also have the memory of a bunch of humans that kept bothering us. I guess you wanted some vacations, Remi? _

_Pache, what if I told you you found a very dangerous tome in the outside world? A tome sealed by one of the strongest magicians in existence to have ever lived, only to be opened by girls with natural magic powers? A tome with no long text inside but just a bunch of cards? An unique tarot deck, where each card had its own magic abilities and a self sentience of sorts?_

_You mean a spellcard collection? I don't see how that could be possible. Spellcards were only developed in Gensokyo shortly after our arrival here. There's no way they could exist on the outside world before that moment._

_Ah, yes, funny that. We arrived here and soon spellcards are developed... What if said hypothetical tome was cursed? What if the cards initially rebelled and had to be tamed by magic and strength and guile and trickery? What if properly failing to master the cards inside meant getting your memories erased? But not just your memories about this particular deck, but also any feelings you had for people you cared for, as well as those person's own feelings towards others? In a way, for your personal world to be completely destroyed without actually breaking anything physically? And then the cursed tome seals itself again until a new magic girl finds it._

_That sounds like extremely advanced dark magic. But if the magic girl isn't actually killed on the process, their magic powers should increase considerably from the experience of being exposed to such a powerful set of spells, even if they failed to master them. _

_Quite correct, Pache. And then we would end with a bunch of quite powerful but emotionless magic girls. Rings any bells?_

…_Not really._

_Suppose that at some point in time, the tome would be forgotten from the outside world. It would find its way into Gensokyo. It would end up in a shop of the human village, where a young woman with inherent magic powers, mother of a little girl of her own, would manage to open it. Mastering the cards and attaining great power, she would however be shunned by her fellow human villagers, who would start seeing her as a youkai. Too kind to impose her will by force, and fearing for her own young daughter's safety, she willingly fails to master all the cards and is afflicted by the curse. Ironically this makes her become even more ostracized as she shows no more emotions but still is able to use magic. Her own daughter and husband stop caring about her and each other. The young magic woman, surrounded by suspicion, hate and fear, starts to take those qualities upon herself and slices open her own belly in ritual suicide. But she can't pass on to the afterlife. She cannot rest. She remains in this world as an evil spirit, still grasping the knife covered in her own blood, resentful towards all of humanity. She plans revenge for years. She is sealed and breaks free. She gathers followers. Among them, a young girl from the human village shunned by everybody, including her own father. The evil spirit's own daughter. The young girl has no magic power of her own, but is eager to learn, to prove herself at something since she too has no more feelings for her own fellow humans. They're no longer child and parent, but student and teacher. Under the evil spirit's tutelage, the young girl learns powerful and dangerous magic. The evil spirit is eventually sealed away for good, but her student is still free._

_I know of no evil spirit that maches your description._

_Of course you cannot, very few remember she even existed when we first arrived here, and there's no surviving written records of her actions. Somebody made sure of it. But blood will tell many forgotten secrets for a being such as me, even if it is but a rusty drop dried up many years ago. _

_Fascinating. One day I should be able to properly understand your blood magic._

_Some day, Pache, but this hypothesis isn't finished. Now imagine, a certain magic girl from the outside world who unlocked the tome but failed to master the cards for being a coward, and started to care more about her doll toys than people after the curse affected her. So she treated the people who were previously close to her as dolls. Not caring anymore about the world where she lived in, she shut herself in her own fantasy world. Her magic would take them to a new fantastic place. She killed them one by one. Not out of malice, simply experimenting. Beheading, poison, nailed alive to a tree like if they were a curse doll. The last shreds of attachment to her life lost, she committed suicide. Thus, too coward to use a blade, she hanged herself, but she was no longer human after killing so many of her own in such cruel ways. A simple rope could not end her existence anymore. Instead she only cursed herself to descended into magic hell, Makai, where she further refined her spells and kept creating dolls to serve her, before a great catastrophe pushed her back to Gensokyo._

_Are you saying that Alice Margatroid ran into this tome previously, Remi? I'll agree that she's not your average youkai magician, and her self-imposed isolation always seemed somewhat suspicious._

_I'm not throwing any names, this is after all just an hypothesis. Alice isn't the only one doll user in Gensokyo with a mysterious past after all. But let me continue this train of thought, next we have a natural born magician youkai that loves books. She is good friends with a pair of vampire sisters and they happily reside in the outside world despite most other youkai there being long gone, since the superstitions that sustain their existence are still popular among humans. The natural magician loves to collect magic books and notes, building herself a great library on her vampire friend's mansion basement. She knows how to be discrete to don't attract unwanted human attention, but one day she acquires a cursed tome that when opened releases several magic cards that go around wrecking havoc. The older vampire sister helps her capture them back, but it becomes harder to keep their actions secret anymore due to the great power of the cards running rampart. Their activities end up attracting the attention of a dangerous vampire hunter. Just an human, but one skilled with the way of the blade and with natural moon magic, more in particular time manipulation. A truce is put into place between them however as the rampaging cards are deemed a greater threat than the vampire. A rivalry and eventually friendship ends up developing between the vampire and hunter. The cards are all captured. All ends well._

_There's no way that theory can be true. There's only two recorded vampire sisters in either world in the last 500 years. And you are one of them, Remi._

_Ha, you got me, because this story doesn't end there. For you see, the great magician who created the cards had secretly reincarnated. Once he sensed the cursed tome had a recognized new mistress he went to check her himself. He creates all sort of new challenges for her until they finally duel face to face. But the youkai card mistress decides to play fair, to_ _walk her own path and take on the challenge without the help of her other friends. She is defeated and loses the cards. Her feelings for others lost, she becomes a bookworm that spends most of her life surrounded by books, slowly withering away. If not for the older sister vampire's unique ability to see and repair the broken chains of fate between them, she would probably have no feelings for others at all. One of the great magician's minions, turns out to quite dislikes youkai. For she is a shrine maiden. She pursues the vampires, magician girl and the hunter who had befriended them half way across the world until they reach China, where they manage to befriend a powerful local youkai as a bodyguard. But in doing so they attract the attention of a powerful clan of human warriors. They end up needing to run away across the sea to the island that is Japan and manage to hide inside the great Gensokyo barrier, its existence hinted from ancient chinese scrolls._

_And that sounds like us, except I don't remember any cards inside books nor that great magician reincarnation. But supposing that my memory was indeed sealed, which is far from impossible in the realm of magic, that implies all four magicians who survived the cursed book are now in Gensokyo. That sounds like quite a rare coincidence._

_There are no coincidences in life. There is only fate._

_That you can manipulate. Have you been controlling the events of this hypothetical cursed tome, Remi?_

_Let me tell you a little secret, Pache, everybody manipulates fate when they make a decision. People sow actions and reap consequences for them. I simply can get a better view of the threads-chains of destiny. I have an easier time grabbing them, yanking them, even breaking them, but anybody else can do it if they have the will and the patience._

_This discussion is... Fascinating, but your hypothesis still doesn't explain the disturbance I felt._

_Indeed, because then there's another magic girl who finds and manages to open the book in her father's basement. Because a vampire able to see fate had left it there. The girl is a bit dense, so she'll never notice that her father, __an hard worker and methodical researcher_ will never ask for the strange book after she takes it for herself. Because the father never knew it was there in the first place.  


_And what would be this hypothetical vampire's objective be by doing that?_

_She needed a distraction to throw away the Shrine Maiden's and warrior clan pursuit while they searched for a way inside Gensokyo. It was supposed to be a simple matter. The girl lacked any kind of experience with magic and although she was lucky, she wouldn't last a year as far as her own fate was concerned. Many would try to help her, but it wouldn't be enough against the devastating power of the cards. The chinese warrior clan would clean up the mess of their neighbours left behind, and eventually run into a conflict against the great magician. Perfect revenge._

_Sounds more like petty revenge to me. But that would be a magic incident in the outside world. It would not affect Gensokyo._

_But the future was forced to change. The chinese warrior clan sent a single boy to Japan. He more than anybody else changed the girl's fate, creating exceptionally strong links with her. He taught her how to better use her magic, he provided a rival figure to push her forward, using himself as a shield, he even bent and twisted time itself to make sure she would succeed, never letting the girl learn just how much he had truly supported her behind the scenes. Over a hundred terrible fates for the girl completely averted directly because of him. Even the great magician's plans went out of tracks due to his presence. The hilarious part was that when it was all over the boy just tried to walk away expecting that the chains of fate forged between he and the girl would just disappear like nothing, but the she pulled him back. Chains so strong that they actually materialized in magic like the outside world hadn't seen being born for centuries. And that was bound to attract the gap youkai's presence. She arranged for them to be brought to Gensokyo.  
_

_Didn't the gap youkai visit us the other day?_

_Yeah, but I'm tired of pretending I'm her easily manipulable puppet. She thinks she has me under control, but I only played along when it was convenient. _

_You definitely fooled me. I could've sworn you were just making up stuff because you've been bored, Remi._

_It's impossible for others to know the burden that is being so close to fate as I am, Pache. Our time in Gensokyo has been a relaxing vacation, but this place is just too boring. Too much sun and rain. Even when an interesting incident happens, most of the time I can't participate because of that. I miss the human cities of the outside world. So much fine food and entertainment all year round. But getting out of Gensokyo is much harder than getting in. Doubly so if you want to carry a mansion with you. So the main point of my hypothesis is, we don't need to move a finger to find the source of the magic anomaly, it being the card mistress and the boy. A magic anomaly that may just be our ticket ouf this place. They'll be coming here soon enough. The chains are already in place and slowly pulling them. We just need to wait. I knew this day would come for years. It's why I've put up with so much boredom._

_And then what happens, Remi?_

_Then we and them make choices, Pache. That will decide the fate of both Gensokyo and the outside world._

_We should still send the cat to make sure those chains hold, Remi._

_...How many times do I have to tell you, Pache, she's an human! Do you think a cat could be a chief maid with class?_

_It's all inside the error margin, Remi._

* * *

(Review reply:

sandrdrake111:Thanks! I guess I indeed ended up portraying Yukari more on the evil side, but it's nice to hear you're still enjoying the story)


	14. Chapter 14

_Let's keep our dance going, Sakura da ze!_-grinned the blonde girl riding a broom through the night sky.

_KYAAA!_-screamed the winged card mistress behind an oval floating silvery surface.

Marisa flew circles around Sakura, shooting a barrage of rotating multi-colored lasers. The card mistress was taking cover behind The Mirror, but it could only protect her from a single angle at a time, and the black-white witch was constantly changing directions while skillfully dodging the erratic deflected light beams that bounced out of the magic glass. The air heated up and vibrated with the extreme heat of the incoming lasers, producing a buzzing sound that further pressured Sakura and not giving her any opening for attempting a counter-attack.

_C'mon Sakura, show me more of your magic da ze!_-shouted Marisa, relentless on her laser assault.

Sakura was starting to run out of breath, but she she saw something silently fly behind Marisa, carried by tornado of yellow lights. Syaoran and Luna Child stealthily flew behind the ordinary magician whose action was fully focused on the magician girl from the outside world, and the boy managed to get close enough to grapple Marisa from behind, grasping her arms and trying to yank the mini-hakkero from her hands. The young witch proved strong and resisted, not that surprising considering she lived by herself in a forest full of dangers and she was used to carrying big weights as part of her jobs. Still even as Marisa managed to hold to her magic furnace, Syaoran managed to pull it towards the sky, making the lasers bursting from the magic item shoot upwards. The boy then gazed at Sakura and she understood he had given her an opening. The Card Mistress dismissed The Mirror and quickly closed in with Marisa, swinging her wand at the blazing mini-hakkero.

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Marisa card!**_

The lasers froze in mid-air for a moment, then turned back into magic energy that flew into the tip of the star wand, coalescing in a card that then flew into Syaoran's right hand. The boy was distracted by a moment as he retrieved his new card, allowing Marisa to break free one of her arms and grab the handle of her broom between her legs, pointing it downwards. Both celestial and ordinary magicians started plummeting down at extreme speed as the broom shot downwards with its riders! Sakura and Luna were left behind hanging in mid-air too surprised to react, before they started to fly after them as fast as they could, although the witch's broom was much faster.

_Have you lost your mind? You'll get us both killed!_-shouted Syaoran, now holding to Marisa more to stop himself from falling of than exactly trying to restrain herself.

_Next stop, ground! Marisa broom airlines won't hold responsible for the safety of any passengers, in particular free loaders da ze!_-yelled Marisa while cackling madly.

As the trees below them came closer faster and faster, Syaoran dropped his grab and jumped out just as they were about to hit the green canopies, throwing a jufu below him to create a small wind barrier to slow down his descent. It was still a pretty rough fall, and he mentally thanked Tomoyo again for the resistant clothes he was wearing that absorbed most of the shock from impacting against the branches on his ways down. Syaoran then saw Marisa break trough the trees and seemingly about to splatter herself on the floor, before turning her broom upwards in the last moment and landing on her feet, then dismounting and taking a deep breath. Soon after Sakura and Luna descended from the trees, the card mistress dismissing her wings as her feet touched the grass.

_Now the real battle begins!_-dramatically announced Marisa pulling another of her cards and placing it behind her mini-hakkero.

All that came out from the magic furnace were some puffs of black smoke, then nothing.

_Hmm, out of fuel da ze..._-Marisa frowned as she took a closer look at her favorite magic tool, then tucked it away inside her skirt.

_Bind Marisa-chan and finish this! __**SHADOW! RELEASE!**_-Sakura unleashed another card seeking to subdue her opponent, and the shades of the forest started converging towards the black-white witch.

_Whoever said I was finished already?_-grinned Marisa lowering her large hat over her eyes while retrieving several small flasks from inside her skirt and throwing them to the ground around her, unleashing a circle of violent and bright explosions that pushed back the incoming shadows and revealed a grey mantle, the true form of the card.

As Sakura, Syaoran and Luna closed their eyes due to the sudden bursts of light, Marisa swiftly pulled a long and thin object fully wrapped in brown paper from inside her clothes. Ripping out the package with her teeth, she pulled a wooden stick from inside it, with a tiny golden star at its tip. A wand.

_Sakura, watch out, Marisa just unsealed some powerful magic!_-shouted Syaoran, still half-blind but feeling a strong mystic energy coming from Marisa, not nearly as powerful as her magic furnace but still a threat.

But he was too late as the witch swung towards The Shadow while chanting:

_**Return to the form you were meant to be in, Sakura card!**_

The floating dark mantle was pulled towards the star at the tip of Marisa's wand, coalescing in the form of a card.

_What...?-_asked Sakura in disbelief as she saw one of her beloved cards captured by somebody else.

_...Hehehe, looks like I got the hang of that trick of yours at the first try, Sakura! Thanks a lot, I would have never learned it without you showing me how da ze!_

_...Sakura, leave this to me._-warned Syaoran, positioning himself between the speechless card mistress and their opponent, with his blade pointed at Marisa- _Now that Kirisame's learned your capturing technique, it's too risky for you to use any more cards against her... At least while she has that wand. Where did you even get that, witch?_

_Oh, this?_-asked Marisa while spinning her wand between her fingers- _A present from my old mistress, the one who first taught me how to use magic. Not as fancy as Sakura's wand there, I can't even tell what is it made of, mine's just plain wood and metal. Much safer and easier to use for a beginner than a magic furnace. Actually the only spell implement easier and safer to use than this would be an animal totem, a wand with the head of a bird or some cute mammal on top, but that's just for little naive girls. Anyway, looks like a basic star wand can still pull some tricks my mini-hakkero can't, you learn new stuff every night da ze..._

Marisa interrupted her speech as she noticed Syaoran had suddenly rushed towards her and his lunging blade was now inches away from her belly. She managed to pull her broom to block it while jumping back. The broom was sliced in half but Marisa escaped unscratched.

_Hey, that's quite rude, not letting someone finish their monologue during battle da ze!_-frowned Marisa, discarding the leftover piece of bamboo.

_Just making sure you couldn't run away. Now excuse me because this will hurt a bit..._-replied Syaoran, pulling a jufu and placing it over his sword-_**Obey the command! God of thunder, Come Forth!**_

Just as the thunder was being released from the paper amulet, Marisa pulled four small colored stones, red, blue, green and purple, each with insribed white runes and threw them in the air in front of her while swiftly drawing four straight white lines in mid-air forming a square that started to rotate over itself. The stones grew in size until they were as big as basketballs and converged to the corners of the square, spinning along it in front of Marisa, and Syaoran's lighting was blocked by the moving pattern.

_Before I could use a magic circle, I learned how to do a mystic square da ze._-boasted Marisa before tilting her wand towards Syaoran, and the orbs glowed and started launching a barrage of white magic bullets at Syaoran!

_Syaoran-kun, I want to help you!_-shouted the card mistress while pulling a card of her own as the boy quickly jumped to dodge the bullets, trying to close in with the witch between the gaps of the attacks.

_NO! this is just a desperate last ditch effort from Kirisame, I can handle it alone! Fairy, cover Sakura-chan for stray shots!_-shouted back Syaoran while pulling fresh jufus.

_...I trust you, Syaoran-kun._-replied Sakura, lowering her wand and card.

_That's it, just hang back and enjoy the show.-_smiled Luna as she raised a yellow spherical barrier around them-_I had only ever heard tales of Marisa fighting with a wand. Seems like she used it all the time back when she first started to do magic duels, but in the last years she only ever used it against that crazy buddha team._

_Hoe...?_

_Heehee, I'll show you a bit more da ze... _-Marisa tilted her wand forward, and her flying orbs suddenly spiraled towards Syaoran and seeking to smash against him!

The boy was caught completely by surprise at the sudden change of attack pattern and knocked violently against a tree.

_Like this... And this, and this... And this da ze!-_ Marisa kept moving her wand much as a music maestro moves his baton, and the orbs danced at her command, pulling back to recover momentum before launching themselves against Syaoran again!

This time the boy managed to roll out of the way in time, throwing the jufus he had been clutching in his hand at Marisa, who lowered her wand to make her orbs return in front of her, shielding her from the attack as the amulets exploded in bursts of fire, cracking the blue stone, that disintegrated.

___Ah, paper amulets.__-_grinned Marisa, while making her remaining orbs start shooting white bullets again_-____Ofuda, jufu, whatever you call it, they're kinda of the predecessor to spell cards. Magic power stored in paper format for ease of transport and storage. Main difference is that the cheaper, more simple version is usually just good for one use. Never got the hang of those. But say, why don't you use a real card, boy? Afraid I'll take something precious from you as well ke?_

___Magic cards should only be used when there's no other possibility._-replied Syaoran, closing in through the gaps between the bullets and rising his sword-___Those orbs of yours aren't even relics or anything. They're just a crude stone version of paper amulets._

His blade came down and the enchanted metal crushed the rune of the purple orb, making it crumble to dust as well. Marisa only smiled and rised her wand upwards, unleashing a torrent of golden stars to the sky!

_Can you dodge this?_

As the star-shaped bullets rose, they suddenly turned their trajectories downwayd, showering the area around Marisa with a magic curtain!

_**Obey the command! Petals of wind, Come Forth!**__-_Syaoran placed a jufu over his sword just in time, creating a green shield of air around himself to block Marisa's attack, then struck down the green orb.

_And finally da ze!-_Marisa pointed her wand directly at her current opponent and from its tip shot a large blue laser forward.

Syaoran twisted his body to the side to graze the last-ditch attack from the witch that burned a hole through several of the trees behind them, while lunging his sword forward to destroy the last, red orb from Marisa, nothing else between them.

Then the witch suddenly turned her body and butt-slammed Syaoran, knocking him on the ground! Before the boy could recover, Marisa hit his forehead with her index finger, throwing him off balance then kicked him in the groin, sending Syaoran reeling back! Sakura and Luna flinched just from seeing Marisa's last attacks.

_How was that? Amazing, right ke?_-Marisa smiled as she dusted off her skirt.

___Ah... Where did you learn that fighting style, Kirisame?__-_asked the boy, now using his sword as a crutch while trying to recover his breath, feeling more glad than ever he was wearing Tomoyo's reinforced padded costume, or that last kick would've definitely knocked him out cold.

You're___ not the first martial artist nor sword user I fight. A girl's gotta learn some moves if she wants to succeed by herself in Gensokyo da ze._

___I see...Self-taught. But without your orbs, I can finish this with...__-_Syaoran rised his sword while searching inside his clothes with his other hand for more jufus. But found nothing. His expression changed to suprise.

___Searching for this?__-_grinned Marisa, revealing Syaoran's deck of jufus inside her hand and retrieving one, pointing it towards him_-____I'm no good with holy ofudas, but elemental magic, I can swing that way da ze... ____**Obey the command! Fire God, Come Forth!**_

Syaoran's eyes widened as he saw the jufu in Marisa's hand explode forth in a stream of fire that quickly approached him.

___**[Hindering Light] "Moonlight Wall"! **_

Several barriers of purple translucent energy formed in front of Syaoran, blocking the incoming flames. He then noticed Luna Child had flown to his side, holding up a glowing card and sweating, focusing on it.

___Thought you would need some help, Syaoran-kun..._-said the moon fairy, rising her free hand to shoot several yellow globes of light through the barrier at Marisa, who easily dodged them while activating more jufus to intensify her attack.

One of the Luna's barriers disintegrated under the witch's fire stream, the others starting to twist and end under the intense heat.

___You idiot, Kirisame will just capture your spell as well!__-_shouted Syaoran at the fairy.

___Not...If... You... Defeat...Her...First...__-frowned Luna, clearly struggling to maintain her spell. _

___Go ahead, Syaoran, you have some real cards in you, I can sense them. Show them to me da ze!_

___Very well, Kirisame, you leave me no choice then...__-_declared Syaoran, reaching deeper inside his shirt and slowly pulling a card, that he dramatically showed towards Marisa. The witch's face suddenly went pale while her expression changed to a terrified one.

___No... No way you could have that...__-_there was now clear fear in the Marisa's voice, and her fire assault started to become weaker.

___FANTASY HEAVEN!_-shouted Syaoran while holding the card up.

Nothing happened, but Marisa still jumped back out of instinct and tripped on the ground, falling on her back and dropping the jufus, her attack ending.

Finally seeing an opening, Syaoran swiftly jumped over Luna's barriers and aimed to land over the fallen Marisa with a drop kick!

_**[Demonic Control]...**_-started to whisper a nearby voice hiding in the shadows while holding a card.

As Syaoran's feet crashed against Marisa's face, he felt something was wrong. He felt like he was kicking wood. As the witch's body fell down on the floor from the impact, her limbs twisted in ways that should be impossible for an human. Marisa's eyes remained open but didn't move, nor had any signs of life, her smiling expression completely frozen. Not an human of flesh and bone anymore, but a life-sized doll.

_**..."Return Inanimateness"!**__-_a chant was finished from inside the surrounding shadows.

The witch doll exploded violently, with nearby Syaoran just having enough time to protect his face with his arms before the explosion launched him back! Sakura rushed to his side and the fairy followed with a sigh, dismissing her barrier.

_Syaoran-kun, are you alright?_-asked the card mistress, helping the bruised boy get back up on his feet.

_Kirisame... What happened to her?_-asked Syaoran as he recovered his balance, and noticing that all that remained in front of them was Marisa's fallen wand near a scorched earth crater.

_Geez, Alice, I had everything under control, you didn't need to do that lame switchover trick!_-came Marisa's voice from behind a tree where the spell chanting had came from.

Sakura, Syaoran and Luna then saw the witch with an annoyed look on her face being carried in mid-air by several dolls while the youkai puppeteer followed behind with a smirk on her face:

_I've seen you fight the red-white enough times to know a good kick is all that's needed to knock you out, Marisa. And although it pains me to admit it, I would rather sacrifice a doll as a decoy than letting you lose right here. _

_Speaking of Reimu... Just where did you get that card, Syaoran ke? -_asked Marisa with a quite serious face.

_Long story. The short version is that the shrine maiden went to our world in search of Sakura-chan to try to bring her here to Gensokyo. We defeated her. _-replied Syaoran.

_And then she became friends with us and we showed her around our city! Reimu was a really nice person once we got to know her better. She was your friend as well, Marisa-chan?_-asked Sakura with a warm smile.

_Friends? Pfft, we're rivals! We teamed up a few times out of necessity, yes, but we fought each other a lot more to see who got to solve the latest big incident. But I guess that Reimu having gone to the outside world explains why she's gone missing, good riddance. However despite having captured her strongest card... You can't actually use it. You just bluffed me da ze!_

_Indeed, I can't activate Fantasy Heaven. It's the ultimate Hakurei bloodline technique and it won't accept an outsider like me or Sakura-chan as its new master. But I guessed that Reimu would be pretty well known around here and the name of her strongest spell alone would carry a lot of weight._

_You were lucky you were fighting Marisa then._-commented Alice-_She kinda has an inferiority complex towards the white-red, since they've been fighting for years and Marisa loses three battles for each two she wins against Reimu. If you tried to pull that trick with any other opponent in Gensokyo, they would've just laughed and shot you in the face._

_Ah...Hmm...So, can we all agree that everybody fought their best and call it a night?_-asked Sakura innocently.

Alice fell silent and turned towards Syaoran, dropping the strings holding Marisa in the air while pulling more dolls from inside her clothes and positioning them around herself while dropping her smile:

_Not yet... Syaoran, that was quite rude of you, running away from our battle. I still need to have my dolls pass judgement on you..._

_Syaoran-kun came to help me, so if you still want to battle him I'll fight you too, Alice-chan!_-declared Sakura, positioning herself at her boyfriend's side with her wand at the ready and a look of determination on her face.

_Sakura-chan's so cute when she declares a challenge!_-squealed a familiar voice.

Everybody turned their heads to notice Tomoyo lurking behind a nearby bush, recording everything with her camera. Then Meiling's head popped out of the bush at her side, sighing with a tired look on her face:

_Look, Tomoyo-chan, you're not supposed to disrupt a combat like this!_

_...Didn't I tell you to remain at my house while I went to the forest to look for Sakura, Syaoran and Marisa? The night is filled with stray youkai._-frowned Alice.

_And how did you even reached us so fast? Alice knows this place pretty well and can see in the dark, but humans easily get lost in the Forest of Magic._-asked Marisa._  
_

_Well this little fellow helped us a lot..._-said Meiling, rising her arm from inside the bush and dragging Star Sapphire and Sunny Milk along, the chinese girl's hand holding the back neck of the fairy's dresses-_Turns out Star-chan's a living radar and can detect anything moving in a pretty big radius, and Sunny-chan could make us invisible if we had to get close to anything suspicious. Helped us both to find you and avoid the youkai._

_Star-chan! You're alright!_-smiled Sakura with a bright expression.

_I told you fairies can't die, Sakura-chan. But I'm still too tired to help you again... Oh, Luna-chan, you did great just now! Show Marisa the true power of fairies!_-smiled Star.

_...Actually, I've had enough danmaku for a night, I'll join you in the sidelines for now, Star-chan._-declared Luna, flying towards the bush where her friend was, and everybody else sweatdroped.

_Hahaha, you have no chance against us without your fairies now da ze!_-grinned Marisa.

_...Hadn't you said the fairies were just small fry and would just hold us back, Kirisame?_-asked Syaoran with an unamused face.

_Pfft, that was like several minutes ago, get on with the times boy. Hey Alice, how about we put on a nice group show for your guests now? We really weren't very coordinated so far. Let's do the Animism trick da ze!_

_If you insist, but please don't humiliate yourself too much more, Marisa..._-replied Alice, starting to remove the puppeteer strings on her left hand.

_Alice... Here I come! Doll System Dual mode!-_shouted Marisa, stretching her hand towards the puppeteer youkai.

_They're all yours, Marisa!-_replied Alice as she threw her removed puppeteer strings towards Marisa along some cards.

_I have your control strings now! Pattern select: No.027 A...! Engage!-_Marisa quickly started to fit the puppeteer rings in her hands before holding up one of the cards that Alice had lent her, shouting:

_**[Puppeteer Sign] "Maiden's Bunraku"!**_

Alice almost spontaneously pulled another card of her own and chanted:

_**[Sword Sign] "Soldier of Cross"!**_

Marisa's and Alice's cards burst out in dozens of tiny dolls forming a perfectly lined circle around them. Half of them had metal armors and long swords stored on their backs, each easily as long as Syaoran's own, the other half had tiny wands and long conical black hats. Alice moved her hand holding the strings and her dolls drew forth their swords. Marisa moved her hand holding the strings and her dolls shot thin colorful lasers from their miniature wands to the night sky above.

Sakura and Syaoran found themselves awed by the display of synchronized magic, and there was a moment of silence in the dark forest.

_Come on, what are you waiting for?_-frowned Marisa- _Show us one of your team magic combos da ze! _

_Hoe?_-Sakura's eyes started spinning in confusion as she held her wand with both hands.

_You know, Sakura, when you let an ally use one of your own spells for which they have an affinity. For example Marisa here is really good at handling lasers, so she can use my beam-shooting dolls pretty well. _

_...You willingly borrow spells to each other?_-Syaoran made a dumbfounded face, still holding up his sword.

_I admit it isn't something we do that often, but you had seriously never heard of it ke?-_Marisa made a dumbfounded face back at Syaoran.

_Indeed, you claimed to be in love, and yet you don't even know how to link your spells? Young magicians this days..._-sighed Alice with a disappointed expression.

* * *

_Somewhere else in Gensokyo, in a place covered in black shadows._

Shou Toramaru slowly walked forward, his jeweled pagoda shining brightly in his hand while she chanted:

_Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow, I fear no human, for Byakuren is with me; Your scroll and your Vajra, they comfort me..._

_Is that so?_-asked a voice from behind him, and Shou turned around startled, to see a little blonde girl with short hair and red eyes, her arms spread out. She wore a black vest and skirt, and white blouse with a red tie bordered by two large red beads around her neck. She also had a small red amulet tied to the left side of her hair, making it look like a ribbon.

_Oh, greetings fellow youkai. I'm Shou Toramaru and I was seeking for the card mistress, a young human magician with hair as red a ground cherry, when I stumbled upon this strange darkness. You're welcome to share my holy light if you wish._

_Is that so?_-asked the little girl in an innocent tone, taking a step closer, and the light of Shou's Pagoda lost some intensity.

_Yes, if you happen to know anything about the card mistress, please contact me, or visit the Myouren Temple._-Shou didn't seem to notice right away the radius of her light had shortened.

_Is that so?-_the little girl took another step towards the tiger youkai, and the light on her pagoda became weaker again, making their feet now covered in darkness.

_Correct, there will be great rewards for any leads you can give us on finding this human..._-Shou was starting to look a bit nervous as her shining pagoda was clearly weakening.

_Is that so?_-the little girl took another step closer, now almost touching the tiger youkai, and her jeweled pagoda's light was reduced to barely that of a candle.

_...Are you creating this darkness, fellow youkai? Could you please stop it? I need the Light of Dharma to guide my path._

_You behave a lot like a human. Are you of the edible kind?_-smiled the little girl, revealing several sharp teeth inside her mouth.

Then the light of Shou's pagoda was completely snuffed out, and a moment later inhuman screams filled the darkness.

* * *

_In a large river somewhere in Gensokyo._

Captain Murasa was a creature of the seas, but there were no such large bodies of water in Gensokyo, so she was searching across the next closest thing around. There was a big lake, but she already went there and just found annoying fairies that had only wasted her time. It was Murasa's reasoning that humans were always drawn to shores, so that was the best place to look for any clues from Sakura's whereabouts. After some searching she spotted what looked like an human peacefully sleeping inside an old-looking small wooden boat laying on the river sand, and there was a large scythe at her side, with wispy ripple at the end of its blade.

_Hey, human!_-shouted Murasa_-Have you seen the card mistress, a young human magician with red hair and a pink wand?_

Murasa flew down, and the human opened her eyes. They were red, under her short pinkish hair, with two ponytails tied by two double hair beads. She wore a white dress underneath a blue vest, and had an obi with a large coin tied in the center.

_Young humans aren't my line of work._-said the woman in an eerie voice, yawning before easily picking up her large scythe with a single hand as she stood up, and Murasa understood she was was no human-_Or at least they shouldn't be. But you... You seem like something I should be searching for. I must thank you for coming right to me, that saves me a lot of work. Mind getting on board here with me?  
_

_You wouldn't want me in your boat. I either sink them, or take command of them._-said Murasa, her hand instinctively reaching to the anchor on her back as she suddenly felt a chill down her spine at seeing that woman.

_Silly drowned ghost, you can't do anything against my Titanic._-grinned the pink haired woman, holding her massive scythe with both hands and starting to spin it over her head with clear skill.-_Now be a good spirit and step inside, and I'll take you right to the Sanzu River. My boss's gonna be pretty happy with a big catch like you! I may even get her to forgive me of all my recent slacking!_

Murasa turned and started to fly away, but then realized she wasn't moving from her place. The scythe woman, still grinning, started slowly floating towards her. The ghost captain again tried to put some distance between them, but it was useless. The pink haired woman was getting closer, and there was no escaping her.

_Don't think I will just surrender without a battle!_-shouted Murasa, pulling her anchor and holding it with both hands.

_Being provoked into a fight is this world's splendor.-_smiled the pink haired woman, moving her oversized scythe for a wide swing.

* * *

_In a forest path somewhere in Gensokyo_

Ichirin flew between the trees, carried by Unzan. Numerous bugs buzzed all around them.

_The insects are annoying I know, just don't pay them attention, we have more important things to worry about, somebody in Gensokyo must've seen the card mistress..._-said the youkai monk to her companion. Then a small humanoid figure flew down from the canopies above and deliverered a single devastating kick that sent both Ichirin and Unzan tumbling down.

_Hey, hey, hey. You've got some guts, ignoring me. I hope you've got the determination to match that!_-said the owner of the foot, hidden in the shadows and the swarms of flying bugs that seemed drawn to it. There was no reaction from Ichirin and Unzan laying on the ground, as they seemed to have both fainted.

_...Damn newbie youkais, thinking so they're high and mighty. What were they saying about seeing a card mistress? Like, there's plenty of women and girls with cards in Gensokyo. Probably nothing important, not even worth remembering. Anyway that sure showed them this is our turf! I bet they won't dare to come here again any time soon!_

Several fireflies started glowing around the concealed figure, who released a joyful laughter of victory.


End file.
